Bonds
by lowri
Summary: The third Dawson's Daughter trilogy story. Xover with the Sentinel. Kronos is after amy to use against Methos. Ellison and Sandburg are called on to help protect her.


Disclaimer: The Highlander universe is owned by Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis along with the characters of Duncan MacLeod, Joe Dawson, Methos, Kronos, Amanda, Richie, and lastly Cassandra and Darius, who are not in it, only mentioned

Disclaimer: The Highlander universe is owned by Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis along with the characters of Duncan MacLeod, Joe Dawson, Methos, Kronos, Amanda, Richie, and lastly Cassandra and Darius, who are not in it, only mentioned. The Sentinel is owned by Pet Fly Productions and Paramount, along with the characters of Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg and Simon Banks. I have only borrowed them and haven't earned any profit from their use. The characters of Amy Saunders, Dickon, Sandy Parnell and Hank Fielding are mine. This story is the third of a trilogy, which began with Dawson's Daughter and then continued in Interference. Although, this one is the only story that is a Xover. After I completed each story I said it would be the end, but Amy would not leave me alone. This is my first attempt at writing a story using The Sentinel characters, and I really would like to give a big thanks to Cindy Combs who is a wonderful Sentinel fanfic writer. She graciously agreed to beta read for me and answer all the numerous canon questions that I had. I had only seen six third season episodes when I began this work, but after one look at Jim Ellison I knew Amy would just love him. I would also like to thank Maxine Mayer for comments along the way, and the biggest thank you to Lisa Hughes who gave up time with her new puppy to trudge through this. Without her guidance, perseverance and the numerous rereads, this never would have been finished. Any comments can be mailed to lwright3@rochester.rr.com Enjoy!

****

Bonds 

By Lori Wright

Chapter One

Amy Saunders pulled her truck and horse trailer next to the squad cars already there. Their impromptu parking lot was a cleared area along side the interstate. Up in the mountains, a criminal was running. She had been listening in on her scanner when the call came in that a murderer by the name of Johnny Seager had escaped custody. She had immediately started getting her horse and trailer packed. As a State Trooper and part of the mounted unit, she was sure that she would be called to assist. Tracking a fugitive in the Cascade Mountains usually needed officers on horseback. Because of her horse's unusual talents, she figured that her involvement was inevitable. Even though technically this was under the Cascade PD's jurisdiction, they would need all the manpower they could get. When she got the call thirty minutes later, she was ready to roll.

Amy got out of her truck and unloaded Shadow. She tied the hay net where he could reach; this ensured Shadow the extra calories for the trek and kept him quiet while she got her orders. She walked over to the State cruiser. Her superior was there, notebook in hand, issuing orders.

"You've been assigned to ride with two Cascade detectives. They have already ascertained where Seager entered the mountains, and they are ready to start tracking. I've obtained horses for them, but I'm not sure of their riding abilities."

"I'm supposed to teach them on the fly?"

"Of course not, just do your job. Let *them* worry about their mounts."

"What about Mitch?" She didn't like the idea of working without her usual partner.

"He's assigned to another pair of detectives."

"Wonderful."

Two men walked up to them. One had long curly hair and looked more like a throw back to the sixties than a cop. He radiated excitement. The other had short-cropped hair and looked like a Marine. As he looked at her, she could tell that he wasn't thrilled with his assignment either. She sighed.

"Saunders, this is Ellison and Sandburg. You three will be teamed together."

The three of them shook hands.

"Our horses are tied up over there," the Marine, Ellison, told her.

"I just got here. Let me saddle up and then we can be on our way." They nodded and she turned away.

Shadow was waiting patiently for her. He was always calm as he waited for the action to start. However, once she was mounted and they started tracking, he was an entirely different horse. He had been bred from direct descendants of the destriers, or war-horses used in medieval times. Her immortal uncle, Dickon, had been breeding them for centuries. Shadow was hers from the moment of his birth. She had painstakingly trained him to be her partner in everything. He had a brain and he used it. Between the tracking skills she had learned from her immortal stepfather and uncle, and her horse's unique abilities, the two of them were a formidable team.

Checking the girth once more, she put the bridle on and led Shadow towards the two detectives, who were standing next to her captain and another man, who was probably their own captain.

When she came even with them, Ellison helped his partner mount, and then got on himself. The Marine looked like he knew his way around a horse, but his partner was obviously a beginner. He had no business going on this manhunt. This was going to be hell. It would take a miracle for them to just to go up into the mountains and come down alive, let alone find the escapee.

They rode up to her. "Let's go," Sandburg said, looking anxious to begin.

She turned Shadow towards them and said goodbye to her Captain. He was still grinning. "Better you than me Saunders," he whispered to her.

She grimaced back.

Ellison took the lead, and this naturally pissed Shadow off. He started prancing and sliding up alongside Ellison's horse. Shadow's ears flattened. Ellison's horse started to back up to let Shadow take the lead, but his stupid rider forced him to stay in front.

"I think you had better let Shadow lead, if you want your horse to stay in one piece."

"I am in charge here, and I stay in front." He had a very determined look in his eyes, and a strong heel on his horse.

Shadow yawned and flattened his ears again. This time he quickened his pace and swished his tail. Ellison's horse dropped back, letting Shadow pass. No matter what Ellison did, his horse would not listen to him.

"Saunders, pull your horse back. If you can't control him, you shouldn't be riding him."

"Listen Ellison, this is what we do all the time. My job is looking for lost people, escaping fugitives, and general search and rescue. Shadow always leads. This is what he's trained to do, and no one is going to tell him any different."

She turned back to the trail, and they continued on. Every time Ellison's horse came up, Shadow would sidestep and the horse would back down. It was almost humorous seeing the frustration on the Marine's face. But they had a job to do.

The detective broke into her thoughts. "How long have you had that horse?"

"I bred him. My family owns a horse-breeding place in Wyoming. I picked the sire and dam. I even helped in the birthing. I trained this horse to obey every move I make. We are a real team. Don't come between us, he will fight to the death for me."

They didn't say anything after that.

Shadow came to a stop. She held out her hand, asking them to be quiet. Shadow turned one way and then another. As she was looking right, she saw Ellison also looking, as if he could see or smell what had caught her horse's attention. Shadow turned and the cops followed suit. They didn't even argue over it. Amy felt the first sign of relief. They weren't going to be a problem. She let the frown on her face relax, as she enjoyed the beautiful sunny day.

Shadow picked up some speed, clearly following something now. He didn't trot, but kept to a walk. Amy could just make out a trail, made recently. Several branches were broken and she even saw a footprint. She turned around. Ellison looked comfortable and was also observing his surroundings. Sandburg, however, was concentrating on his horse, for all he was worth and not paying any attention to what they were doing.

Shadow picked his way through some brush and made several directional changes. They stayed on this trail for another two hours. Sandburg didn't complain, but she could see he was starting to hurt.

"Okay, let's take a break."

She pulled Shadow up and he stopped. The others did too. She dropped her reins, dismounted, and went over to the kid.

"Let me help you down."

He shook his head no, but his legs weren't cooperating. As his feet hit the ground, his legs collapsed, they just didn't have enough strength to support him. She looked at Ellison who gracefully dismounted.

"Ellison, he's not going to make it. We may have a couple of days of this. We've only been out for a few hours."

"Chief, I told you that I could do this alone. I think Saunders is right. You should go back."

"But you need me Jim. I won't let you do this alone."

Saunders watched the men and was surprised that Sandburg won out. Ellison didn't look like the kind who backed down. Sandburg was a fool. He was never going to make it, and it would slow them all down. She gave them another five minutes to walk off the stiffness.

"Okay, you guys ready?"

She could see Sandburg smother a groan, but he agreed. He sure did have guts; she had to give him that. Ellison helped his "Chief", then she watched him get up on his own horse. He didn't appear sore, which was a relief.

They rode on for another hour, with Shadow leading. Several times, Ellison would come up along side her, but Shadow would flatten his ears and Ellison's horse would slow down. She turned around several times to gage Sandburg's condition. He looked sore, but determined. What did catch her attention was that Ellison was continuously looking behind him.

"You hear something?" she inquired.

"I think we're being followed."

"You think Seager's circled around behind us?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I wouldn't have credited him with that many smarts."

"He *did* escape though."

That comment pissed him off. She laughed at disgruntled expression.

"I want to circle around him and catch him unaware."

She sighed in exasperation, although she couldn't fault him for wanting to see who was behind them. It would slow them down and all she wanted to do was to find Seager and get out this situation. Ellison was not the easiest man to get along with. Then she laughed to herself, neither was she.

Ellison took his horse and left the trail. He told her and "Chief" to stay put. Shadow was not happy at this delay, and took to snorting and stomping to show his displeasure. Sandburg eyed him wearily. Suddenly a shot rang out. She turned her horse and raced towards the shot. She hoped that Sandburg was close behind. Shadow slowed down and she slid to the ground. Sandburg slowed and she told him to stay with her horse. Then she took her gun and loaded it. Using the stealth she had learned at Dickon's knee, she crept towards where believed Ellison to be.

Another shot rang out. She peeked around and saw Ellison's horse. The detective was flat on the ground firing towards a mound of bushes. The horse looked ready to bolt so she slid up to him and led him away. Another shot, this time from Ellison. He was covering her movements. A man stood up, blood flowing from his arm, and walked slowly towards them. He looked like he was on a suicide mission. Leveling his gun, he aimed for Ellison and just began firing. Amy couldn't believe what she was seeing. She raised her gun and fired. The man turned towards her and she could see blood now dripping from his brow. Then he collapsed in a heap.

Ellison leaped up and ran over to the body and felt for a pulse.

"He's dead."

"Better him than you."

"You shot him in the head. Couldn't you have aimed for his arm or leg."

"I see you already had and it didn't seem to phase him any."

She walked around and then noticed a sword. It was tucked away out of sight. Her breath caught. He was immortal. Sweat started pouring down her back. She swallowed the lump in her throat and walked slowly back to the body. With a quick look at Ellison, she put another round into the fallen body.

"What did you do that for Saunders?" He looked shocked that she would shoot a dead man. Then again it was a stupid act under any *normal* circumstances.

She looked at him paralyzed. What was she going to do? This was not the criminal they were chasing. Oh no, this was some immortal who's home they had just trespassed on, she felt mild hysteria taking over her mind. This man was going to wake up and then she'd have to explain why he wasn't dead, and meanwhile their criminal was escaping.

"Look at him Ellison. This isn't the right guy."

"I know. But he fired at me and I tried telling him I was the police and to surrender his weapon. He ignored me and started firing."

"He's dead. Lets..."

"He was dead before you fired the second time."

She kept talking, "Let's leave him and continue on the trail Shadow was following before you went off tracking this guy."

"You want to leave him here for...why?"

"So we can get back to chasing the real problem. We can call someone in to pick up this joker later."

She was desperate to get them out of there before the immortal woke up. Before he came back to life.

Ellison looked at her closely. Then he stiffened. Amy turned and put a third slug into the dead man.

"I think we should leave now." Her words came out in a rush; her voice filled with an anxiety she couldn't hide.

He was definitely looking at her oddly. "Okay."

They returned to the horses and Sandburg was flush against a tree and Shadow was standing next to him, on guard.

"Geez Saunders, your horse is kind of vicious."

"He's a war-horse Sandburg. He's trained for battle. Although right now, he's protecting you with his life, like any other soldier. You should feel flattered."

He didn't look flattered.

She just wanted to get out of there before the immortal woke up. Chances were he was only following them to find out what they were up to. She had to breathe deep in order to control her panic. Ellison must not see that man come back to life. She mounted and started riding off hoping that the two men would not be far behind.

"Sorry Shadow. You were right and we were wrong. Find him again," she whispered, patting him on the neck.

Ellison didn't say anything for awhile. Shadow found the trail again and they were off. They continued, for another hour. Then she stopped them all to grab something to eat. They had trail mix and she had a couple of sandwiches. She gave her horse his head and he grazed. The other two horses stayed close to Shadow. Ellison took the time to contact his captain. The reception wasn't the greatest, but he did let Banks know that they were fine and still on the right trail. He never mentioned the dead guy for which Amy was relieved. After eating, they got back on their horses and continued. She kept an eye on Ellison, but he didn't give any indication that someone was still following them. He did have a distracted look and sometimes she could feel his eyes boring into her back. Occasionally the two men would whisper, but she was unable to hear what they were saying.

They continued on, until suddenly Shadow stopped and started nodding his head up and down. Amy turned around to the other two. Ellison was alert in his saddle as if he could hear whatever it was that Shadow heard.

"Shadow says there's something ahead. We must be very close now."

Ellison nodded. He slid off his horse and Amy did the same.

"Saunders, you go right, and I'll circle to the left. Chief, you stay with the horses."

She saw Sandburg acknowledge his partner. They could have used a third cop. It was too bad the kid was so useless. Then she laughed to herself. She was probably the same age as Sandburg. So why did she feel so much older? Maybe it was because she had seen and experienced so much in her short life. Short that is, in comparison to her immortal relatives.

As it turned out, they apprehended the man without any problems. He gave up without one shot fired. He was lost, hungry and he didn't have any fight left in him. Amy rode double with Sandburg, and let Shadow carry the cuffed prisoner down the mountain. Ellison quickly took the lead, which Shadow relinquished without question. Amy laughed to herself at Ellison's expression as he passed her horse. Yep, he was finally able to take the lead.

Ellison had contacted his captain so when they came out, the cops were waiting for them. Amy slid down immediately and went over to Shadow. Several other cops helped with Seager. Sandburg and Ellison had given their mounts back to the people who loaned them. She could picture him yelling at these unfortunate owners about how his horse wouldn't listen to him. Ellison was a piece of work. Leading Shadow back to the trailer, she noticed a man leaning against the side.

"Mac, what a surprise finding you here."

"Joe was worried."

"So he sent you?"

"Yes."

"How nice. I'd ask you to rub my horse down but I'd hate for you to get your nice clothes dirty. Also he'd probably bite you."

"I have a way with horses. He wouldn't bite me."

So she stepped back, and let him untack Shadow. She smiled gleefully as Shadow turned his head and almost connected with Mac's butt. He moved it just in time. The girth was undone, so all he had to do was slide the saddle off. With both of his hands occupied, Amy made a hand motion, and Shadow took a nip out of his thigh.

"Ouch!"

"I am so sorry Mac. Is it bleeding?"

She bent down in mock solicitation.

"You told that horse to bite me."

"Now why would I do something like that?"

"To get even."

"Even? For what?"

"I don't know."

"I think you have a guilty conscience."

"Me, guilty?"

She laughed and took a brush to Shadow's back.

Then she felt a little tingle. She turned to do the other side, she saw Ellison standing by a truck, just looking at her. His expression was unreadable from that distance, but his eyes went right through her. Her breathing quickened, and she bent down to brush Shadow's belly, hiding behind her horse. When she stood upright again, the truck was gone.

"Who is he Amy?"

"The cop I was with on this manhunt."

"Is troubling you? Maybe I can help."

"We ran into an immortal." She proceeded to tell him everything.

"He's definitely curious. You're going to have a lot of trouble discouraging him."

"I know, what am I going to do?"

"Don't know."

"Guess I'll be escaping Cascade and going to Joe's more often than before."

"Do you work with him often?"

"No this was my first time. He's city, while I'm state. It's only because...well it doesn't matter. I'm going to do my best so that I don't run into him again."

Chapter Two

Jim sat at his desk waiting for Saunders to arrive. He had tried to do the paper work and was having trouble deciding how much to put in of the man that had been killed. Granted, there was no body. Somehow it had disappeared and only existed in his memory, even Sandburg hadn't seen it. She didn't know that he had sent someone up there looking for it. When Art had come back and said that he couldn't find the body, he had to go look for it himself. At first he couldn't locate the spot. Then when he did, the evidence said that the man had gotten up and walked away. He knew that was impossible. The man had been dead. He hadn't had a heartbeat, and he hadn't been breathing. Then Saunders inexplicable behavior occurred to him. She shot the dead man. In fact she shot the dead man, twice. Did she think he was going to get up again? That was a tantalizing thought.

"Hey Ellison."

Another detective interrupted his thoughts. Hank Fielding came over along with a stranger.

"This is a friend of mine from school. Sandor Parnell. Sandy, this is James Ellison. They say he's the sharpest of us all."

Jim didn't like Fielding very much. His snide comments got on his nerves. He walked around with an attitude that said he knew more than everyone else. Yet he had more unsolved cases than anyone in the department. Jim stood up to shake Parnell's hand.

"Nice to meet you? Are you a cop?"

"No, I'm just visiting the area, and thought I'd drop in on old friends."

Fielding started to lead his friend away when they both took a double take.

"Ellison, isn't that Saunders?" Fielding asked.

Jim stood up again and looked.

"It is. I asked her to stop by this morning."

She talked to someone who pointed her in their direction. She gazed around, but didn't really lock onto anyone until she saw Fielding's friend.

"Sandy! What a surprise."

"Amy! I didn't know you were living in Cascade."

"Yep."

They shook hands, both wearing wide smiles.

"What brought you to town?" she asked.

"I'm back in the field."

"No kidding."

She looked at him and then at Fielding. She took a step back. Jim glanced at Fielding and noticed a fierce look on his face. He wasn't acting very friendly towards her; he was down right hostile.

"Hi Ellison. I'm here as commanded. Sandy, if you're up in Seacouver, stop by Joe's. I'd love to sit and talk."

"Maybe we can do dinner."

"I'd like that."

Fielding was getting more and more furious. "This is not a meat market. Make dates on your own time."

Parnell looked apologetically at Amy and followed his friend away.

"Jeez Saunders. You sure know how to make new friends."

"Yeah, what was his problem?" She looked troubled but then her face cleared abruptly. "So what was so earth shattering that I had to come to see you?"

"I'm writing up the report and I don't know what to put in about the man who ambushed us."

"He didn't ambush us, he was following us and then we cornered him. He probably fired on us in self defense."

"Were you there?" This didn't tally with what he remembered. "He was following us and when I went back to check it out, he fired at me. We killed him in self-defense, but now the body's missing." He watched her carefully.

She gazed at him with steady innocence. "You went back to check?"

"I did. It looks like he sat up and walked away."

"Dead men can't do that."

"I know, that's why you're here."

"I didn't help him up. Maybe he had a friend."

"You're awfully glib about this. Doesn't it strike you as odd?"

"I don't have an explanation. In fact I didn't mention it at all in my report. I put down that we tracked Seager, then we got him. Nothing else."

"I can't lie."

"Then don't. Put down anything you want to."

Jim was sure she knew something she wasn't telling him. It puzzled the hell out of him what had happened to that man, yet it didn't trouble her at all. That was very suspicious. Anyone would be interested in a body that just up and left. He needed some answers. He looked at her and noticed that she wasn't paying him any attention. She was focused on Fielding, who was staring at her intently. While Ellison didn't like Fielding, the fact that the detective mistrusted Saunders added to his own uncertainty. He needed to investigate her.

"Ellison, if that's all, I have work to do."

He looked into her eyes. They seemed guileless, but his doubt remained.

"Goodbye Saunders. Thanks for coming down."

He returned to his paper work and skipped over the part of killing the other man. He turned the report into Simon and then headed home. He kept thinking about how friendly she was towards Parnell. She thought nothing of going out to dinner with him, asked him to go to Joe's. Joe lived in Seacouver. No wait, stop by Joe's she said, like it was the name of a place. When he got home he called information and requested the phone number for Joe's in Seacouver. When they gave it to them he felt a pleasant sense of accomplishment. He was getting somewhere now.

"Hey Sandburg. How would you like to take a drive to Seacouver tonight?"

"Sure, why?"

"We're going to investigate a place called Joe's."

"I know that place. It's a blue's club."

Jim shook his head. He should have gone to 'Mister Social Life', in the first place.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

They arrived at the bar just before ten. The place was full. They walked in and stood next to the bar. An older man was taking orders while a band played on stage.

"Hey Jim, there's Dr. Pierson."

Jim stiffened. "Who?"

"Remember I told you about the professor who came from Paris? He came to our department on sabbatical because he's interested in Sentinels. He somehow got a copy of my master's thesis and found out what my research was. He came to the States specifically to work with me."

"When was this?"

"Last month. He's brilliant Jim. He has more knowledge about stuff than anyone I've ever talked to."

Jim's mind was spinning. He didn't like coincidences. Someone who knew about Sentinels hanging out in a bar that Saunders frequented. Then he saw Parnell. He was talking to a man over in the same corner Sandburg had pointed out his Dr. Pierson.

"Chief? Describe Pierson."

"He's wearing black slacks and a red and gray sweater. He's got..."

"That's enough. I see him."

He turned around away from the bar's interior to order a drink.

"Hello. I'm Joe. Can I get you something?"

"We'll take a beer."

"You're new here. I usually recognize the people who come in here and I don't think I've seen either of you before."

"We live in Cascade."

"No kidding. My daughter lives down there. She's a cop."

Jim stiffened. It couldn't be.

"Part of Cascade PD?"

"No, she's a Trooper. She was stationed up here, but living too close to her old man got on her nerves so she moved a little south."

"Is she coming in tonight?"

"No, she was going to, but something came up."

"That's too bad."

"She doesn't renege often. Most nights she's here. But tonight, she said something about meeting an old friend."

Was that old friend, Parnell? They had agreed to meet for dinner, yet he was here. As Jim picked up his glass he felt someone come up behind him. He stayed still, until he heard the man speak.

"Joe, I could use another."

"Sure Adam."

Adam turned slowly towards them and then stiffened slightly. Jim watched and listened carefully for some kind of reaction, but this Adam's heartbeat had picked up only slightly, but not even enough to show that he was startled.

"Hello Blair. What brings you all the way up here?"

Adam looked at Jim with undisguised curiosity.

"Just wanted to get out of Cascade for awhile."

"Adam, you know these guys?" Joe asked.

"I know Blair from the University."

"Which one, Paris?"

"No Rainier."

"You're a student in Cascade?"

"A professor Joe. I *did* graduate you know. Didn't I tell you?"

"No. Must have slipped your mind." Then muttered, "Senility and all."

Jim could hear the amusement in the bartender's voice, but he didn't understand how anyone could forget to tell friends that they had just received a doctorate.

Adam returned his attention to Jim.

"Adam Pierson. And you are?"

"James Ellison."

His eyebrows went up and his mild mannered gaze became more penetrating. "The cop. Amy told me about you." And just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a bland expression. "I guess I never made the connection between the Ellison that you always talk about," he nodded to Blair, "to the one Amy mentioned. Small world isn't it."

Then he gave them an enigmatic smile.

That smile made Jim very nervous. There was a slight undertone that Jim caught, because of his abilities, that made him think that Adam knew all along exactly who he was.

"So Blair, what exactly do you do for the Cascade police? I had heard that you worked with them occasionally," Adam asked casually.

"I'm just an observer."

"Oh," he said with a wealth of knowledge.

Jim had an uncanny felling that he really did understand, everything.

Joe interrupted them. "When did Amy talk to you?" he directed at Adam.

Adam shifted his eyes away from Jim.

He let out a breath. Jim hadn't even realized he was holding it.

"This afternoon. She's troubled about someone she met at the Cascade precinct."

Jim at least knew about this. "Fielding, and I believe the feeling mutual."

"Fielding? Hank Fielding?" Joe asked, pressing for information.

Adam silenced him with a look. Jim was astounded. Adam was a man of many talents and ... ruthlessness. That was it. The man had a core of steel, and he hid it masterfully, and maybe it was because of being a Sentinel that allowed him to see it. Sandburg thought the world of him. The most intelligent man he'd ever met, Sandburg had said. Yet when he looked at the man, he saw someone who commanded by mere presence. Pierson had a way of seeing into your mind and extracting things he wanted to know. The thought frankly scared the shit out of him. What was this man doing to his guide? He needed more information about Pierson. And Saunders. And Fielding. And Parnell. Jim looked around. Where *was* Parnell?

"The man you were speaking to earlier; where did he go?"

Adam looked at Jim. "I don't know. Probably left to meet Amy."

Joe looked like he wanted to say something, but Adam wouldn't let him.

"Do you know anything about dead bodies that get up and move again?"

He scored big on shock value. Joe's eyes flew to Adam, incredulous, but Adam stayed serene.

"Did Amy tell you about one?"

"No, she denied it. But the man was dead, and now the body's gone. I looked at the area around the body and there were no other people around. He got up and walked away."

Again the two men exchanged looks. Joe's heart was beating rather fast, but Adam didn't show any reaction at all. That in itself was a clue. How could a man who was hearing this for the first time *not* react?

"I think Sandburg and I will go sit at a table and enjoy the music. Come on Chief."

Jim and Blair sat down and faced the stage. He listened in and tried to concentrate on Adam and Joe.

"Adam, what is going on?" Joe asked.

"Shhh, later," Adam replied.

Jim's breath caught. He now knew for a fact that Adam knew he was a Sentinel.

"Chief, how much have you told Dr. Pierson?"

"Actually I haven't told him anything. He's been instructing me."

"Instructing you how?"

"Telling me everything a guide must know. We talk about situations where a guide is indispensable and how to help the Sentinel get past things. Mostly he tells me what a guide went through fifteen hundred years ago. He's got these books, written on the subject from all ages. It's like he owns a library full of Sentinel material that just isn't in any library I've ever heard about. He said he's collected them through the ages."

Through the ages? That didn't make any sense. They stayed for another hour while Jim tried to sift through what he had learned.

Chapter Three

Amy was sitting at a restaurant with Sandy talking about what each had been doing in their lives since the past summer. She enjoyed hearing about Gabriel and other new students at the Watcher training academy. But as soon as the main course was set in front of her, she zeroed in on what really interested her.

"I don't think your friend likes me very much."

"You make him nervous. He's pissed about you killing those three Watchers, this past summer. You took the law into your own hands, and he doesn't trust that you won't do it again. He's also upset that you're friends with Ellison."

"But we're not friends at all. We worked together once and happened upon an immortal. I killed him to save Ellison's life and the body disappeared. Ellison doesn't like loose ends but now he's got a big one. I'm trying to do damage control, but it isn't working. Now with Fielding acting suspicious of me, well, it's making an awkward situation more so."

"Quite a problem. The reason Fielding doesn't like your friendship with Ellison is because he's convinced that by being around you, Ellison will find out about immortals. Right now he has a monopoly on that knowledge and he doesn't want to lose it."

"It's already happened. But it's not my fault."

"You see, you're with Ellison one day and already there's been a dead body getting up and walking away."

"So his problem is ego. You think he might be a Hunter?"

"No. Dawson checked him out thoroughly."

"Enough of Fielding." She continued eating her food. "So why are you in Cascade?"

"Actually I came to Seacouver. My assignment is hunting someone."

"Mac?"

"No, she'd friends with Mac."

"Amanda? You're watching Amanda?"

"No. An immortal named Cassandra."

Amy felt the blood drain from her face. "Do you know who she's hunting?"

"Someone named Koren."

"He's in Seacouver too?" She laid her fork down, afraid she might drop it.

"I haven't seen him here yet. We've been tracking him for the last six months. Personally I think Koren's hunting someone too."

Amy shivered with dread. "Do you know who?"

"Nope."

She had lost her appetite.

"Sandy, do you mind if we leave soon. I suddenly don't feel so good."

"I'm sorry. Cassandra hunting Koren upset you, didn't it?"

"Yeah. Koren tried to kill me once. I don't like the idea that he's loose around here."

So Sandy paid the bill and ushered her to her Jeep. They agreed to talk again, and she drove away. She turned her scanner on to listen to what was going on. Several calls were placed looking for help at an auto accident. One call came for a domestic dispute. Then a call came for a man at Willow Park with a sword and gun. Electrical discharge was seen and the possibility of fire was mentioned. Amy's pulse quickened. An immortal battle. Then she heard Ellison and Sandburg respond. Her heart sank. She was going to have to go too.

Willow Park was half way between Seacouver and Cascade. She was practically on top of it. She pulled into the parking lot and saw Ellison's Expedition already parked there. She got out of her Jeep. She pulled her gun out of the glove compartment and loaded it. She filled her pocket with extra clips. She removed her knives from a bag under the seat. She had two special leather sheaths made, which strapped to her legs. Inside them rested two knives that Dickon had made. Both were sharpened to a fine edge. Once she felt completely armed, she locked her Cherokee, and took off for the woods.

Using her skill as a tracker, honed by years of training by Dickon and Corey, she followed Ellison's trail. He was good, but Sandburg wasn't. He left a trail a kid could follow.

She walked for about ten minutes when suddenly a hand snaked out and grabbed her across the mouth.

"Saunders? What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Ellison. Thought you guys might need some back up. Have you seen anything yet?"

"There's one man, mid thirties, with a scar running down his face. He has a gun in one hand and a sword in another. He's shot at us twice, taunting us to come out and face him."

"He's mad." She couldn't believe it. "Did you say scar on his face? One running down his right eye?"

"Yes."

"Oh shit! We've got to get out of here." She desperately wanted him to leave.

Ellison grabbed her by the shoulders, "I want you to go back to the car and call for back up. Wait, he's circling around us. It's too late."

Amy turned around and gasped.

"Well well well. What do we have here?"

"Kronos."

"Amy Saunders. You are just the person I've been looking for."

"I bet."

"I underestimated the mortal you were with in Switzerland, but I won't make that mistake again."

"If you want me, fine. Let them go. They have no place in your private war."

"Sounds like you're attached to them."

"They know nothing. Let them go."

"Because you ask, I'll keep them. I want something and they are going to get it for me. I'll use you as a hostage."

"They will never be able to track down what you want."

"Yes, the boy can."

She turned around and looked at Sandburg. "Him? How?"

"The boy is *his* latest pet project. I'll keep you and the cop and let the boy go."

Ellison spoke up, moving up slightly, placing himself just ahead of Amy.

"What do you want?"

"Adam Pierson."

Amy sighed in defeat. He knew.

"He's not in Cascade. I haven't seen him since Paris, last summer."

"Amy, don't lie to me. I know he's here, somewhere." He paused as if deciding what to say next. "I happened to see you on the news last night. Something about a manhunt. So I thought, where there's one, there's usually the other."

"That is not true."

"Shut up! Now boy, can you find your way to your car?"

"Yes," Blair answered.

"Drive it to the University, find your Dr. Pierson and tell him I've got your partner and his Little Bit of Fluff. Remember that phrase. Tell him that if he wants either of them alive, he's got to come to me, ready to battle." He paused. "Now run boy."

And Sandburg ran.

Kronos turned his attention back to Amy and Ellison. He put the gun to Ellison's head. Pushing him, non too gently, to the left. When Amy moved with them, he snarled.

"Oh no. I won't get caught as I did before. You have a habit of being around mortals who are," he paused again, "Unpredictable. I'm going to keep this gun on him, until the boy comes back with Methos."

His eyes glowed in triumph.

"I've waited a long time for this. You know, in Europe, I had big plans for you little girl. Coreolus did a wonderful job raising you. I see the fire in your eyes, and the wheels turning in your head as you try to think of a way out. I'm almost tempted to give you a sword and let us battle. I would enjoy seeing the fighting spirit unleashed in its warrior glory. But to do that, I'd have to kill your friend here. Better to have a hostage for when Methos arrives." His eyes left Ellison and focused on her. The gun lowered slightly.

"Once I take Methos' head, I'll hunt down Rikodius. Once he's gone, no other can defeat me. I will be the last. Then I'll come back for you," his voice full of promise.

"And the Highlander? You think he's going to roll over and play dead?"

"Highlander? Duncan MacLeod? Here?"

"I didn't say he was here."

He stopped talking. His mind was focused inward, planning for this new contingency. He loosened his hold on Ellison, and stepped back slightly.

Amy looked around. Was there anything she could use against him? This would be her only chance. She didn't know what her new partner's reflexes were, but she was going to have to take a chance. If she did nothing, they were both dead, and possibly Methos too. If they escaped, maybe she could warn Methos and he could go into hiding. Kronos still held the gun, aimed at Ellison, but his attention was elsewhere.

Praying aloud, she whispered, "I have one chance. Please God, make it work. Hope your reflexes are good partner, here goes."

Quick as lightning, she crouched down, removed her knife and threw it at Kronos. The blade embedded into his heart, but the impact forced one shot off. Ellison dropped to the ground and somehow it missed him. He then fired his gun four times into Kronos' heart.

"Quick Ellison, before he wakes up, we got to get out of here. Move!"

He didn't move.

"Are you deaf? Move!"

"He's dead Saunders. There is no way..."

He stopped talking and looked with surprise as Kronos gasped. Amy grabbed her gun and fired again.

"Ellison, I'm not staying to debate whether he's dead or not. I'm getting the hell out. Do what ever you want with your life." She reloaded, fired another six rounds into the immortal's head and then took off at a run.

She could hear him behind her. They ran full tilt and then suddenly Ellison pushed her faster.

"He's right behind."

"Shit, we won't make it."

"Yes we will."

They got to the Jeep and put it between them and the oncoming Kronos. She fumbled with the lock and got the door open, while he fired his gun, keeping Kronos at bay. Ellison pushed her in, and took the driver's seat. He started the Cherokee and pulled out.

Both were breathing heavily, and Amy kept turning around to see if Kronos was behind them.

"I am so sorry Ellison for risking your life like that. You could've so easily been killed." Reaction was setting in. "But I just didn't see any other choice."

"You made a good decision."

"Only because your reflexes are excellent. Thank God you ducked when you did. That bullet could have just as easily gone through your head."

She turned around to look again. Could Kronos be right behind them?

"I killed him *again* right before I pushed you in." He seemed to be reading her mind, or maybe her panic was just transparent.

"That should give us at least a few minutes," she said still breathless.

"Saunders, it's amazing how the people around you don't seem to stay dead."

It was a pointed inquiry and one she didn't want to answer yet.

"Listen. Let's not do the cross-examination thing until we find Sandburg and Adam." She requested. "Do you think Sandburg knows where Adam lives?"

He shook his head no.

"Well then go to the University first."

Opening her glove compartment she took out her cell phone. As she dialed, a random thought hit her. She and Ellison made a good team. Each was able to function almost without talking. It was what saved his life. It gave her a funny feeling in her stomach.

She dialed Methos' Cascade apartment number.

"Amy?"

"Yes, Adam," she said with emphasis hoping to tell him that she wasn't alone.

"What happened?"

"Kronos happened. Ellison, Sandburg and I were caught. He let Sandburg go, and then held us as hostage until Sandburg brought you back."

"I take it you escaped?"

"Yep. We're headed to the University, hoping to find Sandburg there. If he shows up at your place, give me a call."

"I don't think, wait, I see a truck pulling into the parking lot. Yes, I see Blair getting out. Come here now. I'm going to pack."

"See you in a few."

She disconnected the phone.

"Sandburg is with Adam." She told him the address and then called Joe, still mindful of Ellison's presence.

"Hey Joe. I didn't know how much you've been told, but we got away."

"Got away?"

"You don't know anything?"

"Start at the beginning."

So she explained everything that had happened, except she called Kronos, Koren "I wasn't sure how much had been relayed to you, and figured that if they told you about me getting caught, you'd going crazy by now."

"You're all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Mac told me that he ran into Cassandra today. Then Sandy told me that she's hunting Koren."

"So Mac hasn't battled Koren yet," she mused out loud to herself. "Well he will thanks to my big mouth. Thanks for the info. Keep me posted. Bye Dad." She disconnected and put the phone back in the glove compartment.

She looked at Ellison who was dividing up his attention between the road and her.

"Later, okay. Now we have to get to Adam and Sandburg before Kronos does."

"Why didn't you tell Joe about Kronos or Koren wanting Adam or Methos? Does everyone have two names?"

"He'll find out soon enough. It's not my position to tell him anything." She deliberately didn't answer his second question.

"You keep secrets from your father?"

"I only met him recently. Another man, named Corey Saunders raised me. And yes, I keep secrets when they're not mine to spill."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

They pulled into the driveway and she jumped out, not even waiting for Ellison to stop her Jeep. She didn't knock, but opened the door herself.

Methos had a backpack and a duffel bag, and was standing in the hallway. Sandburg was standing against the wall a little bemused. She heard Ellison come up behind her, but with her hands spread on the doorframe he couldn't get past her.

"Little Bit, here is my key. If I don't come back, have everything sent to Dickon."

She took the key, but still wouldn't let Ellison get past her.

Methos continued his instructions. "Here is a pack with some chronicles inside. I want you to read these aloud to Blair and his friend while I'm gone."

"I think I did something stupid," she interrupted him.

Methos stopped mid stride.

"What did you do?"

"I mentioned Mac to Kronos."

"You didn't."

"He was threatening me. He said he was going to take your head and then Dickon's, and then he said he was going to come after me. So I asked about the Highlander."

"Amy, that wasn't wise. Now he's probably..."

"Good, let Mac handle it. You can disappear and I'll go back to Wyoming until the dust settles."

"Not this time. This time I have to finish it." His voice rang with finality.

"But...what about Dickon?"

"No buts. This is my fight, not Dickon's. I want you to stay with Blair and his friend."

"What?!"

"I won't be able to think if I know you're in danger. I'll have to contend with Kronos and now you've gone and thrown MacLeod into the soup. Promise you'll stay with Blair and his partner." Methos looked up at Ellison for the first time, then back down to Amy. "Let Blair's friend guard you, until I get back, or until Dickon comes for you."

"Kronos knows about them. He said something about Sandburg being your pet project."

"Okay, I need to know everything he said."

So she told him, word for word.

Methos turned to Ellison. "I want you to keep her with you at all times. She's sneaky and will try to make excuses to leave. Use every sense you have to keep her with you."

Amy saw red. "I'm not some dog that needs a leash."

"No, you are a head-strong girl who is always getting into trouble. Kronos is my top priority and I need to be able to keep Mac and myself alive without worrying about your safety."

"What about *your* safety? Who's going to watch *your* back?"

"I'll be careful Little Bit," he said tenderly.

"You think Mac will betray you?" She could feel the tension in Ellison. His chest was just touching her back and she could feel his breath on her neck.

"He's going to be really pissed. Not a little, but the kind that may not forgive."

"I'm so sorry." She was close to tears. "I didn't think about the ramifications."

"I'm going to try and head Kronos off, before he gets to Mac, but I may not be able to."

"He doesn't know that Mac knows you, only that Mac knows me."

"And how do you know Mac? I'm the only one who could have introduced you. He'll know there's a connection."

"No," she was getting scared. "Okay, I'll stay with Ellison. I won't interfere."

"Is that a solemn promise?"

"My word is gold."

Amy backed up, and bumped into Ellison. So she went forward and Ellison slipped in front and grabbed Adam by the shoulders. Amy inhaled swiftly, unsure how Methos was going to handle the assault.

"Tell me how you plan on stopping a man who cannot die?"

Adam gazed at Ellison calmly. "Oh, he can die. You just have to know how."

"Is he going to come back for us?"

"Only if I can't kill him first. That's why I want you to guard Amy. Keep her safe. You will hear if I die, Joe will call and warn you. Then you take her to Dickon, or some place that only you know about. Either is fine."

Then Adam turned his attention to Amy. Ellison let him go, but didn't look appeased. "You stay with them. If I lose my head," as he looked at Ellison, "you stay with him. He may be the only one in the world who can keep you alive."

She shivered at the intensity. Methos was really scared.

"Okay Adam. I promised."

"Don't forget the books. You can answer any question they may have." He looked at her steadily, and she realized he was giving her permission to tell them about immortals. What a task.

"Guard her well," he said in a hard lethal voice to Ellison.

He picked up his duffel. With a deliberate move, he picked up his sword from the couch and placed it inside his coat. Then he walked past Sandburg.

"Goodbye Blair. It was a pleasure teaching you. I hope we run into each other again."

Then he took off. Amy stood there watching him, feeling suddenly very alone and very scared. She had to trust her life to a cop who didn't really like her and a boy who had no law enforcement experience.

"We should go first to your place and pick up some clothes and such, then we have to go to the station. I have to file my report." Ellison brought her attention back to the present.

She nodded absent-mindedly.

She had lost control and didn't care what happened next.

Chapter Four

Jim stood there looking at her. She looked so fragile, as if she was going to shatter into a million pieces. It scared him to see her like that. He hadn't known her very long, but what he had seen so far, led him to believe that she was a tough, resilient, highly intelligent woman, with a lot of self confidence. To see her like this was eerie.

"Saunders, we should go," he told her once again.

Her eyes went to him. "Of course."

She picked up the backpack and followed him to the trucks.

"Chief, you drive mine and I'll drive her Jeep." There was no way he was going to let her behind the wheel.

During the drive to her place, she didn't talk, except to give him directions. Her eyes were blank, with shock, and she hung onto the pack as if it were a lifeline. He pulled into her driveway and stopped the Jeep. He didn't need to look to see if Sandburg was behind, he could hear him.

"I'm coming in with you."

She started to argue, but he stayed firm. "From now on, all three of us will stay together. We have no idea where this Kronos is. He could be lurking in your room right now."

She nodded and opened her door to get out. Jim motioned to Sandburg to join them.

It didn't take her long to get a suitcase and fill it with clothes. Jim noticed that she wasn't careful about her selection, she just grabbed handfuls of clothes and underwear and stuffed them in. Her room was immaculate, but her dresser drawers were filled haphazardly. He took the case from her and the three returned to his Expedition. They would leave her Jeep here. Sandburg quickly ran to her jeep to remove the backpack of books that Adam Pierson had given her.

Sandburg got into the back seat, which didn't leave Saunders any choice and she jumped into the front seat. Not once did she look at him. Jim started the truck and he could hear his guide opening the pack and looking at the books inside.

"My God, they must be over a thousand years old. And in perfect condition. Look at the language. It's made up of symbols and I even see smatterings of Latin intermixed."

Jim could hear Sandburg run his hands down each page.

She turned around. "They probably *are* over a thousand years old, maybe even more."

As she turned back, he was able to see her face, which was illuminated by the passing streetlights. Her eyes looked a little clearer, although her skin was still pasty.

"Before we head back to the loft, I have to go to the station," Ellison reminded them.

He looked at her and she met his eyes with understanding.

"And we all have to go in," she said with resignation.

"That's right."

He pulled out of her driveway and started the return trip to Cascade.

"I bet you have lots of questions for me. Go ahead, we have a long drive."

Sandburg started. "Tell us about the men who don't die."

Jim put a bland expression on his face, although it hid a seething curiosity.

"Well they are immortals. You can't kill them by conventional ways. You can't shoot them, stab them, burn them, drown them, and expect them to stay dead. They are born as babies, grow up and then after their first death, they stop aging."

"So how do you kill them?" Jim asked.

"Only by chopping off their heads."

Jim recalled the phrase, 'take their head'. It was beginning to make sense.

"The man we met in the mountains?"

"Has probably lived there for centuries. We were trespassing on his land. He may have been following us just to make sure we didn't hurt anything."

"Or maybe he wanted to kill us so we wouldn't disturb his home again."

She stiffened. "Immortals aren't nasty, but they are protective." She lapsed into silence.

"Can I ask you a very big favor?" she asked.

"What is it?" he was suspicious.

"I need you to promise me two things. One, you can't tell anyone that Adam Pierson is immortal."

"Why?"

"Because he used to be a Watcher."

"A what?" Sandburg interrupted.

"A Watcher is a mortal who keeps track of an immortal. He records everything he or she does, and they keep the chronicles in their many headquarters and at the school."

Jim's mind was spinning. It was a good thing Sandburg was so quick with the questions.

"Headquarters? School?"

"There are a lot of immortals all over the world. So that means each general location has a headquarters. The Pacific northwest headquarters is in Seacouver, run by my Dad Joe, he's the coordinator. To become a Watcher you have to go to school and they teach you all about the different immortals, how to track, how to remain hidden and also how to defend yourself against attack."

"So," Jim was putting this altogether. "Adam Pierson is immortal, yet he went to the school and became a Watcher too?"

"That's right, although he quit this past summer. But if any Watcher found out they'd kill him on sight, because he knows too much"

"Okay, what's the other favor?"

"Remember when you heard Kronos mention Methos? Well forget that you heard the name. Methos doesn't exist. He's a myth. If anyone asks you, act dumb. You've never heard that name."

"But Methos does exist and Adam knows him, right?" Sandburg continued his unending questions.

"Sort of."

"Sort of?" Jim pounced. He wasn't going to let her get away with telling only half the story. Kronos had all but said that Adam was Methos.

"Can't we just drop this. Ask me about immortals, ask me about Watchers, but let's drop the Methos line."

"But Dr. Pierson told me about Methos," Sandburg was quick to interject. "Adam said that Methos was alive a long time ago."

"Kronos acted like he believed Adam Pierson and Methos were the same person," Jim insisted. He pinned her with his eyes, not letting her off the hook.

"All right Adam is Methos. Now can we just forget this conversation ever took place? You must keep his secret." She was frantic in making her point.

"I can keep secrets," Ellison looked at Sandburg as he said it.

"And another thing, you know Fielding's probably going to be at the Station. Just thought I ought to warn you," Amy told them

"What makes you think he'll be there?"

"He had to dispose of a dead body tonight."

"What dead body?" Jim couldn't believe it.

"Before we showed up, Kronos had taken a head. Remember the scanner said something about an electrical discharge?"

"So why would Fielding be involved?"

"Because that's his job, he's a Watcher too. He was probably called when the two immortals first came together and he worked with the dead guy's Watcher to get rid of the body. That's his job, to prevent the police from discovering anything about immortals.

"So why does Fielding dislike you?"

"He's territorial. Cascade is his town and he doesn't like the idea of you hanging out with me. And he was right. One day and already you know about immortals and Watchers."

"Why doesn't he want me to know?"

"Come on Ellison you're not that dense?" she said disparagingly.

He gave her an innocent look.

"You are the super cop. The whole damned city knows it. Every case you get, you solve. Nobody knows how you find your clues, but you do and solve the case. Now you take Fielding. He's average in everything, except he knows about immortals and you don't. It gives him a sense of superiority over you."

"Do you think I'm a super cop?"

Sandburg turned his head quickly to look at him. Amazement covered his face. His guide knew he was teasing Saunders and it shocked him.

"I don't know you well enough." She wouldn't commit.

He smiled inside.

He pulled into the garage. They took the elevator up. Saunders had more color to her face and didn't seem as fragile, which relieved him.

Sandburg opened the door to the bullpen and sure enough, there was Fielding working on his computer. There were only two other men in the large room. Simon's office was dark, which was a relief. Fielding looked up and gave a passing glance at them. He started to look back down again, when they popped back up and focused on Saunders.

"Ready for some fireworks, Ellison?" Her cheeks were flushed as if she was readying herself for a confrontation.

Without waiting for an answer, she walked over towards the hostile cop.

"So who lost their head tonight?" she asked him quietly.

Fielding's face filled with color and he looked like he was going to explode.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"We were there. Koren caught us. He held a gun to Ellison's head and was going to shoot him."

She turned to Jim and winked, which Fielding didn't see.

"But then with some fancy footwork, Ellison fell to the ground and got some shots fired. Next thing I knew, Koren was on the ground dead. I had to urge Ellison to run, the fool wanted to stay and bring in an ambulance and the coroner. I had no choice but to tell him. I mean Koren was dead twice and revived twice, what would you have done?"

She straightened up. "He sure has great reflexes," she said admiringly.

It was getting pretty thick in there. Jim couldn't get over how she was able to imply something totally false and yet do it with the truth. Everything she said was fact, but it didn't happen as she said it at all. It made him wonder at the stuff she had told *him*.

"I need to get going on the preliminary report." He told them, and walked over to his desk.

They didn't pay him any attention. Sandburg had gone over to the bench and just sat there waiting patiently. He looked tired. Jim rubbed his forehead; he was getting a headache. He wanted to get home too.

He punched in a few letters into his computer and then looked up at Saunders and Fielding. She was waving her hands around, arguing about something. That woman loved to argue. Maybe that's what made him so nervous before. She had lost all her fight. It just wasn't natural. He worked for another five minutes and then he heard Sandburg yell. He looked up and saw Saunders with a knife at Fielding's throat. He got up and rushed over.

"If I even have a hint that you're a Hunter, I'll be back and finish the job." The implied threat hung in the air.

Jim stepped behind her and grabbed her arm with the knife. He knew it was risky, she might turn and stab him. But her arm stayed rigid and she let him move it so it wasn't at Fielding's throat any longer. Fielding was ashen, and he didn't recover even with the weapon removed.

"I'm going to have Dawson kick you out Saunders."

"I'm not in, see?" She whipped up her sleeve and showed him her wrist.

Ellison didn't see anything there.

"I never took the oath, I'm not official. You go ahead and tell Dawson anything you want. You just remember what I do to Hunters."

"You kill first, ask questions later."

"If the evidence is overwhelming, then yes, I execute the offender. I do not wait for a stupid tribunal to try the case and decide. They're quick to defend themselves but not so quick to defend the," she whispered "immortals."

Jim figured he had better end the confrontation now. "I'm almost ready to go. I just need to finish a few lines." He still had her arm in his grasp and he pulled her towards his desk.

She stopped, took the knife in her other hand and returned it to the sheath on her leg. Not once did she shake her arm loose from his grip. It was a good thing, because he wasn't going to let her go. He didn't trust that she wouldn't go right back and threaten Fielding again.

He threw her onto a chair and quickly finished his report. Her eyes had that same deadly glow that Adam had used. Maybe he had taught it to her. Fielding obviously believed her threat was not an idle one.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

As soon as they got into his truck, he turned to her.

"So what were you accusing Fielding of?"

"I accused him of being a Hunter."

He looked steadily at her making her tell him more.

"A Hunter is a watcher who goes around taking heads. That is wrong. A mortal is never supposed to kill an immortal, because then the quickening is lost. A Hunter killed my mother and stepfather. He tied them to a chair and cut off both of their heads. He even killed my mother, who was a watcher and mortal. But they didn't care. James," and she spit as she said the name, "Horton just wanted them dead." Tears welled in her eyes. "Three out of the four of them are dead, there is only one more left."

"And you think Fielding is the fourth?"

"No, I know what the fourth one looks like. But I still hate all Hunters."

Saunders sat against the door, slowly losing the adrenaline rush that she had experienced fighting Fielding. He decided not to question her any further. Her face had become pasty again which worried him. Jim knew that she had purposely goaded the other cop, waiting for Fielding to make the wrong move. They didn't trust each other, and did nothing to hide it. Although he had never liked Fielding, he didn't think that Fielding would go out and murder people.

Jim carried her suitcase and Sandburg carried the pack. She followed them meekly up the elevator to their loft. She looked around.

"I like yours better than Mac's."

"Who's Mac?" Jim felt unsettled at the man's name.

"He's my Dad's assignment, the one he Watches. In fact he was there at my trailer when we came out of the mountains. Dad was worried that I might have gotten hurt and sent Mac there to rescue me if I was in trouble."

"How would he have found you?"

"Are you kidding, we had horses. He can track anything. He lived with the Indians for a long time in the 1800's I think. He tracked Tessa once when an immortal trapper had abducted her. I read all about that. He really is good."

"That day, you didn't seem to like him."

"We have an uneasy truce." Her words slowed down. She had that worried look on her face.

"What's the matter?"

"I just wish I had kept my big mouth shut. Now Kronos is going after Mac because I said he was around. This is going to kill Adam."

"Kill Adam, why?"

"Because Mac will never forgive him. Listen I don't want to talk about this now. Could you just show me where I'm supposed to sleep?"

He looked over at Sandburg. They didn't have any spare rooms.

"You can have my bed, I'll take the couch." Ellison offered.

Sandburg offered his bed too.

"Jeez, you mean Adam pushed me on you guys and you don't even have a spare room? Damn it all. Listen, I'm probably not going to sleep much tonight, so let me take the couch for now and we'll think of something else in the morning, okay?"

Jim couldn't let her do that. "No it's not okay..."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Then I'm going home."

He decided to give in. "Okay, you can have the couch."

He went to the linen closet and brought out some sheets, a blanket and a pillow. They made up the couch together. Sandburg had already disappeared into his room. She started looking fragile again. He wanted to stay and comfort her, but he could tell she really wanted him to leave. So he said goodnight and went up to his bed.

She took some clothes out of her suitcase and went into the bathroom to change. She came out and turned the lights off. He heard her crawl under the covers. He lay on his back, looking at the ceiling, listening to her breath. He tried very hard to block the sound, but he couldn't. Concentrating, he focused on Sandburg. He heard his guide shuffling around in his room, but soon the echo of Saunders penetrated his hearing. He gave up. Turning to his other side, he got comfortable and just listened. He must have drifted off to sleep, because suddenly he was awake.

A sound hit him like a glass of ice water. Saunders was crying. He looked at the clock. Three hours had gone by. He turned to the other side, and wrapped the pillows around his ears. It didn't help. With a groan, he softly got out of bed and descended the stairs. He walked to the couch.

"You're crying."

"I didn't think I was being that loud."

"You weren't, but I can tell."

Without meaning to, his arm came down and his hand wiped the tears out of her eyes. Slowly he rubbed his fingers together. Her tears had the same consistency as other tears, but they made him feel differently.

"See, I was right."

"I'll try and be quieter."

"Don't worry...sorry, that's all you're doing is worrying."

"Ellison, have you ever loved someone so much that you would die for them? That you would willingly give up your will to survive for that one person? Go into a situation where you knew you might not come out alive?"

He took a long time in answering. He was a cop; it was his job to risk his life for the safety of others. Then Blair's face crowded out all the others. "Perhaps."

"That is what Adam is doing right now. He has about a fifty-fifty chance of coming out of this with his head, yet still he'll let Kronos find him. He could have gone into hiding again. But Kronos found me, and that meant Adam had to choose between me and himself."

She sniffed and then continued. "Imagine you are that person that is going to live while your friend dies. Does one ever believe they are worth a friend's death? I don't. I believe Adam is worth five thousand of me. He's too important to lose."

A stab went into his heart. How could she think that?

"You're important too."

"I'm not even in the same ball-park."

"When you love someone unselfishly, then you need to make sure they're safe. Nothing else matters. You'll do anything to protect them. I'm sure that you feel the same way about Adam. You just said he's worth five thousand of you. So that means you would be willing to die for him. Why can't he make the same sacrifice?"

"He's a walking encyclopedia. There is so much knowledge in his head. He has forgotten more about history than we can even imagine. He *is* too important to lose. But there is other stuff going on too. Cassandra's there, with MacLeod, telling him about how bad Methos was three thousand years ago."

Three thousand years ago!? This Adam was, is, over three thousand years old? She must be exaggerating.

"How bad was he?" His voice shook, but he tried to stay calm so Saunders would keep talking.

"The worst. The Four Horsemen terrorized two continents. They ruled using fear and torture. And Methos held Cassandra as a slave for a long time, before Kronos got jealous and took her away. You see Kronos suspected that Methos was getting attached to the woman."

"And he was?"

"He never said. But I think so."

"So how does Mac fit into all of this?"

"Methos loves him. Methos thinks Mac is destined to be the last immortal and is doing everything in his power to make that happen."

"The last?"

"Immortals fight each other, taking the other's life force which they call the Quickening. As they fight, the numbers dwindle until only one is left. He, or she, will have all the power of all the immortals that ever was. Methos really believes that Duncan MacLeod has the fire, the honor and the will to survive to the end. And he will do anything to ensure that this is going to happen. He even offered Mac his head once. The Highlander is so full of honor it sometimes chokes him, other times he wears it like a shield. It is so bright that Methos says it shines on him. The knowledge of how evil Methos used to be, will sever their friendship forever. He will never accept what Methos was and how he changed. So how can Methos watch over him and guide him and make sure he stays alive in the future?"

"But you don't like MacLeod."

"I'm afraid of the power he has over those I care about. He is killing Methos right now, and he doesn't even know it." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Could be Mac is just as upset and missing Methos and what they, you know."

"They're not lovers. It's a different kind of bond. This feels weird," and she gave an embarrassed laugh, "Telling you this, but men, especially old immortals, need to bond with another man. It's not a romantic bond, but a bond of souls. I don't know if mortal men have this, but immortals really do. Corey and Dickon were together for two thousand years. Dickon is in such extreme pain now with Corey dead."

"Who's Corey and Dickon?" Finally he was going to hear about this Dickon. Adam had mentioned him as the only other person he trusted with Saunders.

"Remember, I told you about Corey before. He is the man who raised me, my stepfather. Dickon has lived with us my entire life. He raises horses and we lived on his farm. Now that my Dad is dead, Dickon can hardly function. He is so lost, without his other half. He is one half of a whole."

"You think that Adam and Mac have this kind of bond?"

"Not yet. Probably not ever, now. Mac doesn't know Methos. He sees what Adam wants him to see. Adam is able to don a lot of different personas. He is the mild mannered Watcher around Joe and the rest. When he's around Dickon, he's an intense, passionate man, and you can see and feel the power in him. It becomes tangible. But he turns it off so easily. He uses it to intimidate others, so he doesn't have to fight. If he thinks you can handle that side of him, he'll let ya see it. But he has to trust you a lot."

Jim thought back to meeting Adam at Joe's. He did see both of these personalities. At the time he thought Adam just didn't like him. Now Saunders was telling him that, not only did Adam like him, he had been permitted to seeing something not many people saw. His true self. Then again, he trusted him with Saunders' life. Was it only because of his being a Sentinel?

He was still standing at the side of the couch. The only light came from outside and it cast eerie shadows all over the room. Saunders was looking out the balcony doors. He wanted to sit down, he wanted to join her and talk for the rest of the night.

"Ellison, I'm better now. Thank you for coming down and talking to me."

"That's okay. But you want me to leave."

"I think I can sleep now."

"Goodnight then." He turned around as softly went back up the stairs.

He was just getting into bed, when her voice hit him in the head. "It sounded like he really cared."

He gulped and slid deeper into the bed.

Chapter Five

She was running on Shadow, feeling the wind in her hair, and the surf beneath her horse's hooves. Each wave pushed them closer into land, but Shadow valiantly bent back towards the water. A large piece of driftwood was lying in their path, which he jumped in one fluid motion. The smell of frying bacon met her nose. Someone was cooking breakfast on the beach. It was hard to focus on anything running at this speed, but soon the beach disappeared and the movement stopped. She could hear voices from a great distance away. She stubbornly refused to give up her dream, and she lay there longing for the freedom the run had given her.

"Chief, let her sleep. She was up tossing and turning all night."

"Is she still asleep?"

"Her breathing is slow and regular."

"You're not going to let her sleep on the couch again tonight are you?"

"No. Tonight we'll have to find alternate arrangements."

"Like your bed?"

"That would be my choice, but I may not be able to talk her into it."

"How did you sleep?"

"I didn't until she did. Once she fell asleep, I listened to her heartbeat until it lulled me to sleep."

"Was that better than counting sheep?"

"I sometimes lull myself to sleep by listening to your heartbeat too."

"You do?"

"It lets me know that you are safe and I don't have to be on guard."

"Don't let the eggs burn." Sandburg admonished, and then continued. "So what are we going to do today? I take it we can't go to work, and you're probably not going to let me go to the University."

"Adam said to stay here. I'm going to take this as vacation and maybe Saunders can call in sick. She can use a family emergency type of excuse. I don't want the three of us to become separated."

The sound of a plate crashing to the floor jolted her out of the semi-conscious state she was in.

"She's awake."

"I'm sure the whole neighborhood is awake now," Ellison said wryly.

Amy opened her eyes and saw Ellison standing over her.

"Sorry about the noise."

"That's okay. What time is it?"

"About ten."

She stretched, and then rubbed her eyes. They felt gritty and her eyes burned. She didn't do well with a lack of sleep. She went to stand up, when she noticed Ellison still staring at her.

"What? I know I look like hell. Just let me shower and change and I'll be back to normal."

"The food is ready, why don't you eat first."

"Because I'm a mess."

"You look fine to me."

"You must be concentrating with your stomach and not your eyes."

She stood up and he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the kitchen. "Sit there. Chief give me her plate."

"Jeez, you're bossy in the morning."

"He's bossy all the time," Blair returned.

She still wasn't fully awake, but she picked up her fork and tried to eat the mess on her plate.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

About an hour later, showered and changed, she felt like a new woman. She entered the living room and looked at Ellison sitting on the couch looking at the TV. She couldn't hear it.

"What do you do, read lips?"

"Sorry." He turned up the volume.

"I called in and I'm now on temporary leave. You should call and tell them something," he suggested.

"You're right."

He handed her the phone and she sat on the couch. All traces of her bed were gone. She called Sergeant Hardy and asked for some time off. He gave her a hard time and she said she had to have it. Reluctantly he agreed.

"That was the easy call."

Ellison just looked at her.

Then she dialed Joe's home number. It took a long time for him to answer it.

"Hello, Dawson here."

"Hi Dad."

"Amy where in the hell are you?"

"With Ellison, he's a friend of mine."

"All night?"

"Yes, is that a problem? I called to find out what's going on."

"Is this line secure?"

She looked at Ellison and smiled. "You bet."

"All I know is that Cassandra's chasing a man named Kronos, but whom Mac knows as Koren. Turns out that he's one of the Horsemen and she wants to kill him. This morning Methos went to visit Mac and Cassandra saw him and started accusing him of being another of the four. He denied it and took off."

Tears gathered in Amy's eyes. The pain Methos must be in.

"Amy, do you know anything about this? Last night you called saying something about Koren capturing you. Is this all connected?"

"Sort of."

"You know a lot more than you're saying. Was Methos a Horseman?"

She glanced over at Ellison. There was nothing she could tell her father that would make him feel any better. It was just a bad situation all around.

"If you hear anymore, could you call me here, please?"

"Here? You're staying with Ellison? Indefinitely?" He really stressed the word staying. Did her new father dislike the idea of her living with a man who wasn't immortal? He never had problems when she lived with Richie.

"Just for awhile. Until this thing blows over. Methos is worried that Kronos is going to come for me at some point."

"This Ellison, is he the same man who was in the bar last night?"

She shot the detective a suspicious look.

"Ellison was at your bar last night? How interesting. I'll have to ask him."

"He was asking questions about immortals. I take it he knows everything now?"

"Yes, he knows all about immortals and Watchers. I wouldn't have had to tell him anything about Watchers except Fielding is such an ass. You sure he's not a Hunter?"

"No, he is not a Hunter. I checked into his background thoroughly."

"Okay. Bye."

She rounded on him. "You were at Joe's last night."

Ellison looked calmly at her. "Yes, is that a problem?"

"Why were you there?"

"Researching you. You were my only link to the missing dead body. You made some comment to Fielding's friend about Seacouver and Joe's. So being the super cops that we are, we went to investigate."

"You're mocking me."

"A little."

"What did you learn?"

"Joe's a very a nice man. You must take after your mother."

"Actually everyone, including Mac, says I'm just like Joe. Quick to lose my temper, as loyal as a dog and as crafty as Methos."

"I also learned that Methos, or rather Adam Pierson has been teaching at the University, Sandburg in particular."

"Methos loves books. In Paris, he was a grad student. He has probably lost count of how many degrees he's earned."

"I didn't get to meet Mac though."

"I'm sure you'll live through it."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Banks," Ellison whispered.

"Your Captain? How do you know?"

"I'm not at work. He must think I'm dead or in big trouble."

"He right then, you are in trouble."

"Saunders we both are."

She wasn't sure if she knew what he meant.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Ellison what are you doing home. I...Saunders?"

"Hello Captain," she said as serenely as she could.

This was Ellison's call. He knew how much to tell his Captain.

"Simon, come in."

The Captain strode in and stood in the middle of the room. She could see the mental finger pointing at Ellison.

"Why are you on vacation?"

He added an inflection to his words that made the word vacation, sound like a profanity.

"I wanted to use some private time to find out what happened to the body that disappeared up in the mountains."

Amy sat there trying not to show anything on her face.

"The body that only you and Saunders saw."

"That's the one."

"You should just forget about it instead of drawing a Trooper into this madness."

"I have to know."

Simon exhaled loudly. "So you're planning on going back up there with horses and track the footprints of a dead man?"

"Possibly."

Simon turned to Amy. "What's your take on this?"

Now she was put in a spot.

"I think the body was moved to make it look like the dead man got up and walked away. I don't have the burning curiosity that *he* does, but I said I was willing to go back and look."

That sounded good. Ellison smiled, so he must approve of what she said. His smile made her grow warm all over. When had his opinion become important to her?

Simon Banks still didn't look totally convinced, but as he didn't say anything else, she assumed he bought Ellison's explanation. Then he looked over her head at Sandburg sitting quietly.

"Is the kid sick?"

Amy laughed to herself. So the Captain thought of him as a kid too.

"No, I'm just not eager to go up in the mountains looking for dead men walking around, while riding on a horse."

She had to give him points for coming up with that answer. He probably didn't trust himself not to give anything away.

Banks left a few minutes later, saying that someone had to get some real work done.

The door closed and Ellison turned back to her. She felt shaken by the intense look he gave her. What was going on in his mind?

Sandburg jumped up from his chair, diffusing the tension. "Could you read some from the books Dr. Pierson gave you?"

"I had forgotten all about them."

Sandburg grabbed the backpack and brought it over to her. "I looked at them last night and I can't make heads or tails out of the language. Do you know what it's called?"

Amy took the three books out and opened the first one. She glanced up and saw Ellison take a seat across from her. Sandburg had taken a seat next to her so he could look at the pages as she read them. She was more unsettled by Ellison's eyes on her, than Sandburg's body so close to hers on the couch. The awareness was something she had never had to deal with before.

"Let me see, this book takes place in the late sixth, early seventh century, I think. Methos didn't include any dates when he wrote."

"Methos?" Sandburg asked.

She could tell this reading was going to take a long time. He was going to question every thing she said.

"These books are chronicles of his life. He's been keeping a journal, well, forever I think."

She picked up the second book. It was about her. She read the first few pages and skimmed in the middle. Her hands started shaking.

"We can save this till later."

She picked up the third book and happened to see the look Ellison was giving her. The intensity had been turned up several notches. Her feeling of agitation had somehow been communicated to him. Damn his perceptiveness.

The third book was actually the first part of the first book.

"This book starts out with Methos alone. He's been wandering around for awhile, which could mean decades or weeks, from the language I can't tell."

She opened to the first page and started to read.

"My belly was aching for food. I had died three times already and was heartily sick of waking up cold and empty. My sword was not potent enough against rabbits and deer. My traps were unsprung, and there were no fish in the stream. Against my own better wishes, I needed to give up waiting for Claudianus to join me, and move on."

Amy looked up at the men. "He says here that time went by, but doesn't record time the way we do now."

She continued reading.

"Sitting on the bank devouring the first meal in a fortnight, a woman came to the river to fill some baskets. She was comely, with curves in all the right places. With one hunger filled, I felt another grow within. Silently I crept to her and caught her. She tried to scream, but I pressed my mouth to hers and silenced the noise, then took her as we stood."

Ellison exploded to his feet. "He describes raping a woman on the first page and you just sit there as if it doesn't phase you in the least? Why don't you have a stronger reaction than just complacency?"

"I'm reading about Methos' life. Things were different back then. A woman was a possession, like a horse. This one was wandering loose and Methos decided to steal her. I don't condemn his past actions using the values of today. He isn't the same man he was back then."

Ellison didn't look convinced, but he sat back down, retaining the scowl on his face.

"In no time, I exploded, relieving the hunger that had stolen over me so quickly. Her eyes were dark with fury. I can't believe I hurt her bad, it just didn't take me that long. I wanted to taste her fire once more, but the urgency was gone. I had all of her life to repeat it, and I wasn't going to let her go. It was an instantaneous fire, which swept me, rare enough that even I recognized it for what it was. She was mine, for the rest of her life. Of course it may take that long for me to tame her, but that didn't matter. She was only a woman. But what a woman!

"Her long hair had broken free by my wandering hands, and I spoke gently to her. Her answer was to swear at me in my own language and call me foul names. With her incessant screeching, a new noise came out of the woods. A tall man, with a sword and knife. I flung her to the ground ready to defend her against the newcomer. My sword was within reach and soon it was up and ready for the attacker. She ran to him and he cuddled her into his arms. I flushed with jealousy, for she was mine. Fully knowing that I shouldn't be fighting, filled with such emotion, I fought anyway. Thirty five hundred years of fighting with a sword, was no match..."

"Thirty-five hundred years?" Sandburg interrupted. "Wow, I can't believe he's that old. No wonder he knows everything. Why is it now that I know, he's gone and I can't ask him all the questions that are popping into my head."

Ellison looked skeptical; then he gave a dry laugh. "The Watchers just don't know that Adam Pierson is Methos. I can see his dilemma and his guile."

She wasn't sure if Ellison believed it or not. Thirty five hundred years was a long time, although not as long as five thousand. How would he react to that? "Can I continue?" She wanted to get away from this subject.

The men did not look contrite.

"Was no match for this young mortal. I dealt him his deathblow within seconds, then claimed my prize.

"She was crying over his body saying all kinds of improper things. She told me then that I had condemned her entire village to death. They would be wiped out when the great armies of Coreolus and Rikodius came through. I had to ask why this man's death could influence such great warriors. For I knew both, and my word alone would be enough to stay both their swords and their armies. Then she said that I had killed the guide. Their Sentinel now had no guide and must die the ritual death."

Both men gasped. Ellison exploded again.

"Methos killed the guide?"

Amy was confused. "What *is* your problem? You're taking this story much too personally. This happened like fifteen hundred years ago. It has no bearing on you at all. So chill."

She was getting irritated with them. Ellison was almost as sanctimonious as Mac. She hadn't thought that was possible. Ellison sat back down, again, but the fury remained although he tried to conceal it.

She looked back down to the page.

"Sentinel? I knew not of what a Sentinel was. So she explained it to me."

"I suppose I should tell you what a Sentinel is, or rather was."

Ellison's eyes were cold. Sandburg looked a little green. "Never mind. I'll just continue. If you can't handle it let me know and I'll stop."

"Vaguely I remembered something of this from my past. But it was not called a Sentinel. I fought for the recollection, but it eluded me. So I asked why must the Sentinel die without a guide? And she replied that the Sentinel would go mad. A guide was the most important member of the community. While the Sentinel's job was to use his gifts for the good of the village, it was the guide's purpose to interpret what the Sentinel told him and act upon it. I asked her to explain with an example, for I still didn't understand. She said a Sentinel had gifts from God that enabled him to see clearer, hear from a greater distance, and smell more acutely than everyone else. But a Sentinel's mind was not usually as strong, and he needed the stability of the guide to give him balance. Twice already in her lifetime, the Sentinel had warned them of armies and they had escaped the slaughter that came from war. Now they were alone. Without a guide, they were without a Sentinel. Without a Sentinel, they were defenseless. "

Sandburg interrupted again. "So back then Sentinels were overcome by their senses and really couldn't function alone?"

Amy tried to answer. "I don't know if it's like that for all sentinels, but according to this chronicle, a sentinel must have a guide. And not just any guide. It has to be someone the sentinel loves and trusts, or it just won't work."

"It won't work?" Sandburg asked.

"For a guide to function properly...actually for the sentinel to...this is hard to explain. You see one of the hardships for sentinels is that they can become lost within their minds when focusing on only one sense. Therefore the bond between the sentinel and his guide has to be very strong, so that if the sentinel does becomes lost within his mind, the guide can bring him out. If there is no guide, the sentinel will die. In Methos' time, they died by a ritual suicide instead of letting themselves become insane or lost.

"Methos knew only one Sentinel, Rezi. I've heard stories when I was growing up about him and Dickon said the man was a wimp. But all men are different, so I assume that all sentinels are probably different too. It just so happened that in this particular village the Sentinel was super-sensitive I guess."

Sandburg didn't look like he was going to say more, so she went back to reading.

"I wanted this woman badly. I killed her mate so that I could have her. So I pretended to be a guide without a Sentinel. I made up a well sounding lie, which in her own desperation, she accepted. We returned to the village and I became her brother's guide.

"They did not want to accept me. The leader said that for every Sentinel born, there is only one guide. I was not that guide; I could not form the needed bond. I implored them to give me a chance. I would do anything to keep the woman. She would do anything to save her brother, although she hated me. The elders relented, for any chance to hold together the tribe, was worth taking. I know they believed that if I didn't function well as the guide, they would kill me. I might even let them, as long as they did it without taking my head. The one thing I didn't tell them was of my friendship with the warriors they so feared. I couldn't tell them that their brutalities were nothing compared to my own. I wanted them to think of me as a gentle man, a guide, an interpreter of the Gods. But my woman knew what kind of man I was. Every night she fought my possession, and everyday she smiled as if she was happy. I was her brother's only salvation; her village's only hope. If she turned me away, I would leave. I was content here for the first time in three centuries."

The phone rang jarring them all out of the past. Ellison answered it.

"For you," he handed it to her. "Joe."

She closed the book and took the phone.

"Dad? Something happen?"

"Yes. Mac confronted Methos while he was packing up his apartment in Seacouver. Mac thinks he was running away."

"Not exactly. Methos already said that the time for running is over. Kronos has confronted me three times. This time, Methos said he was going to end it."

"Three?"

"First time was in Darius' church when I was only a kid. Darius said he was trying to kidnap me. The second time was in Switzerland after Alexa's funeral. Gabriel shot him and we were able to escape."

"I can't believe it."

"Kronos has been using me to try and trap Methos for years. So he's decided to end the threat now, even if it means his own life. I had hoped that Mac would help. But no, mister high and mighty Highlander will never forgive and accept Methos as he is now, Cassandra will see to that."

Tears were streaming down her face. Listening to Ellison judge Methos while she was reading, was compounding Mac's own betrayal. She was finding it hard to cope. Now her own father was acting like he was forgetting that Methos was his friend.

"I'm sorry Amy. I know how much you love Methos. But even I can't picture him riding for a thousand years raping and murdering villages for power and just for fun. That's what he told Mac. He did it because he was good at it."

"But Joe, it was three thousand years ago. He grew, he evolved. Darius was just as evil, but he changed. He became good and Mac never held his past deeds against him. Why does he with Methos?"

"Maybe because he knew all along what Darius was and became. But he had a mental image of Methos that just got shattered."

"I don't care. So what else's happened?"

"Mac was here talking to me, when I got a call from Sandy. Cassandra was fighting with Kronos and Mac went to her rescue. I've been pacing here, wanting to be there, but Mac told me not to get too close to Kronos."

"He's worried about you."

"Yeah. He's afraid my legs won't let me escape if caught and Kronos would have no compunction about killing me. At least Sandy can fight and run, I can do neither."

She had never heard such self-pity from Joe before. "So we both just sit here and wait?"

"I'll call back when I hear how things turned out."

"Bye."

She disconnected and handed the phone back to Ellison. She summarized what Joe had said.

"You guys mind if I don't read anymore? I feel kind of tired."

"Why don't you go up on my bed and take a nap?"

She looked at Ellison. It did sound tempting. She was so tired.

"I think it's a good idea," Sandburg added his two cents.

With good grace, she gave in. The two men stayed sitting and she went up the stairs to Ellison's bed. It felt strange. She was going to lay her body down on his sheets, use his pillow. She was glad he couldn't see the color suffuse her face. Much to her surprise she fell asleep almost immediately.

Chapter Six

"So Chief, how do you feel about hearing that your Dr. Pierson is a murdering bastard?"

"I think I'm dazed. The Methos Amy is reading to us about, is not the same as the Dr. Pierson who has been talking to me about Sentinel's and guides."

"We haven't met any other immortals except for this Adam."

"Kronos," Blair was quick to point out.

"Yes and he made no bones about being evil."

"It would be nice to meet some others. Imagine there are people alive who lived thousands of years ago. I wonder if any of the Chopec are immortal? What if an immortal became a Sentinel? Wouldn't that be fascinating?"

"Ease up Chief. Immortals alone are enough. Let's deal with them before we move on."

"You sound like you don't like immortals in general?"

"Like has nothing to do with it. I don't trust that much power in one person."

Jim sat in his chair, thinking. Amy was surrounded by immortals. Except her father Joe, who was a Watcher, Mac's Watcher. Now if there was an immortal he would like, this Mac would be him. But Amy didn't like him. She tolerated him. If he was a lot like Mac, did that mean she only tolerated *him*? He shied away from thinking why that troubled him, he just knew that it did.

"Chief, I'm bored. I can't go to work, and I don't have anything home with me. We can't leave the loft."

"Why don't we do some testing?"

"Because I don't want to do that either. I'm on edge from the stuff she was reading," he got up and started pacing the room.

Blair smiled. "You're on edge because she's sleeping in your bed and you're down here."

It stopped him in his tracks. "That is not true."

"She's not down here where you can talk to her and just interact with her. So you're bored. You're on edge, because, you want to be up in that bed with her."

"I'm bored because there's nothing to do."

Blair smiled. "Why don't you cook us a wonderful dinner. We ate breakfast late so we probably won't eat any lunch, and when she gets up, it will be time for dinner."

"What are you going to do?"

"I always have reading, and there is some stuff I have to put into my computer."

Jim grunted and went into the kitchen to figure out dinner.

Several hours later, everything was done. He had set the table and still Saunders slept on.

"Hey Chief, why don't you go up and wake up sleeping beauty and tell her dinner's ready."

Blair called in from his room. "I've got just a few more pages to read. Why don't you do it? By the time she's down, I'll be finished."

Jim stood there contemplating why he was so reluctant to go up those stairs. He took a deep breath, and found his heart thumping fast. Was he scared? Not exactly.

With slow deliberate steps, he ascended the stairs and stood next to his bed. She was sleeping soundly. Her arm was raised over her head, and she was on her side. Deep, soft breaths came out, sending a piece of her hair floating up and down on his pillow. He groaned, trying to summon the nerve to reach out and shake her awake. He put his arm forward and it just wouldn't move any closer to her.

"Saunders, wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open and stared at him blankly. Didn't she recognize him?

"Ellison." She yawned. Then she stretched. Then her eyes flew open, "Jeez, I must have really slept." Her face became a little red.

Good, he thought, maybe he wasn't alone in this. The awareness grew to oppressive proportions, as their eye stayed locked. The need to reach out and touch her became overwhelming. He had to leave so she could get out of bed and come down for dinner. Dinner. Right.

"I cooked dinner and it's ready."

"Okay," her voice was husky from non-use.

He groaned again, and went down the stairs. He heard her give a sigh of relief. Or was it just a breath? Had she been holding it? He smiled.

He started dishing out the food into bowls when Sandburg came into the kitchen.

"Jim, you're whistling."

He stopped short. "I was?"

Blair grinned and took a seat.

Saunders came in, looking a lot more awake, but she didn't meet his eyes. He didn't mind.

"Jim this stuff is great." Blair commended his friend. Then he turned to Amy. "He was working on this all afternoon. After you went up to take your nap, Jim was really bored." He turned back to Jim. "And we got a gourmet meal out of it." Blair smiled teasingly.

After dinner, Blair and Amy offered to do dishes. Jim went into the living room and turned on the television. He sat in front watching the set, but listening to the banter coming from the kitchen. They were so relaxed in each other's company, and he was feeling left out. He could go out and join them, but he knew that the laughter would end and the tension would drive Sandburg into his room, leaving them alone. That had to be avoided at all costs.

With the dishes done, the two joined Jim in the living room.

"Want me to read again?" she inquired.

Sandburg jumped up and gave her the book. This time Sandburg didn't sit next to her, but lounged on the other couch. She sat in the chair and propped her feet on the coffee table.

"Let's see, where was I."

She flipped the pages gently and started reading.

"Mira was talking with the elder."

She looked up, "Mira is the woman Methos loves."

Jim snorted. He didn't love the woman. He may have lusted after her, but that was not love.

"It was now the third year of our marriage and we had yet to conceive. I couldn't tell her that it was my fault. She would leave me. Children are a necessity to any village, and it would be legal grounds for me to put her aside, or vice-versa."

Amy looked up from her reading. "I'm not exactly sure of that translation. I'm saying put aside, but that is my own interpretation. It could be something else."

"Why was it Methos' fault?" Blair asked.

"Because immortals are sterile. None of them can have children."

"That's horrible. They must hate that."

"They do. I remember when I first met Richie, this girl came up to him and showed him this little boy and said that Richie was the father. Richie went along with her for awhile, because the thought of having his own family thrilled him. But Mac talked him out of it so he told her the truth, that the boy wasn't his, and they parted."

She seemed so sad.

"Who's Richie?"

"My best friend."

That was all she would say, then she went back to reading. Jim told himself, he could wait. He'd find out why she didn't want to tell them about this Richie.

"One day she stalked back to our home, or hut, and slammed her cloth,...jeez this is hard... down on the bed. Looking at me, she silently fumed. I asked her the problem, and she refused to tell me. I left and went to seek out my Sentinel.

"He was so different from his sister. He was quiet and never raised his voice. He tip-toed everywhere, as if the slightest sound hurt. I had seen him wince in thunderstorms. When the iron men...I think…where busy crafting, he would leave the camp. The sound the hammer made hitting the iron was too intense. These were my favorite times, when we were alone. I found myself growing more and more attached to him, and less to his sister. She was the warrior, he was the saint. We talked of books and learning. He was forever asking me about my chronicles. I taught him how to read and write, which we kept a secret. I told him of Darius, a monk, who was a great friend of mine who kept my books safe, as I wrote them. He lived in a monastery in Paris.

"I don't think my Sentinel enjoyed his fate in life. He took pleasure in me, but did not like using his gifts. He constantly would try and suppress them. Yet, when he wanted, his senses were used with great cunning. We escaped from wandering villagers, when all we desired was to be alone. He told me once that he was very glad I had come to the village. His bond with me, was much stronger than with the other. He believed, and he made me believe, that *we* were the destined pair, and the other was just...stop-gap, I think, maybe he's saying temporary...until I came. Maybe there is only one guide for the sentinel. He told me that the other was harsh and he yelled when he could have asked. Rezi had been uncomfortable with his former guide. This pleased me immensely."

Jim thought about what she was saying. One guide, one sentinel. Were Rezi and Methos preordained? Were he and Blair? It felt like it. Blair had seeped into his mind and heart as no other person had ever done. Not even his first wife. His only wife. Blair understood that he was self-contained. That he never showed his emotions. She had complained continuously that he never spoke what was in his mind or heart. Personally, he thought it was none of her business. But perhaps it was, and he just couldn't do it. It didn't feel comfortable. With Blair it was different. His guide pushed, but it was always for his own good, not because Blair needed to know the workings of his mind. He looked up at Blair, who was looking worriedly at him. He smiled at him and turned his attention back to Amy. Not Saunders anymore. He smiled at her too.

"As a team we worked, when the village was in danger, or just scenting deer during the hunt. My hand would always rest on his shoulder, giving him the balance he needed. Most days he lost himself within, two or three times. When his gifts were needed, he was unable to totally draw himself out. I had to urge continually, to remind him of what he was doing. Was he hoping for permanent escape?

"Several months went by and still my Sentinel refused to accept his lot in life. Mira, began to be jealous when I spent so much time with her brother. I called her a shrew and said that she never made me feel welcome. We had a tremendous fight, and I left her. I packed all my belongings and moved in with Rezi. He had not married, not wanting to be intimate with another. Feelings were something he avoided at all costs. He didn't want to become lost to those either."

Jim could relate to that. But he wasn't sure it had anything to do with being a Sentinel.

"He told me once that he had loved a woman, but during the consummation, he withdrew into his feelings and his guide had to come and rescue him. He said he was humiliated. She didn't understand and he couldn't explain it to her. He said he had felt so much that he couldn't let go. So he gave up on sex, and lived only for work."

"God, the poor man," commented Blair.

"There came a day, when Rikodius and his army rode close. My Sentinel warned me and was about to run to the village, when I prevented him. I told him to give me some time and I would divert the army. We went together into... the heart of... I don't know what he's saying here...the army, I guess. I found the leader's tent and my brother inside. We hugged and I told him of my new life. Introducing my Sentinel was difficult for the man was on overload... I think that's what he means...He covered his ears and was very pale. We stayed only a minute and then left. Two days later, Rikodius came to my village alone. We talked of friends and such, and then he left. He took his armies with him. I said nothing of what had been averted."

Her voice was getting husky, which sent shivers down his back. He knew that she wasn't trying to seduce him, but that didn't change the effect she was having on him. What she needed was something to wet her throat. That sent all kinds of tantalizing thoughts into his mind so that he abruptly got up and got her a drink. He brought it back and handed it to her. She set the book down and thanked him.

The phone rang.

Jim went over to answer it.

"Hi, Joe. Yes, she's right here. No, it's not too late."

He handed the phone to her. She smiled her thanks and the blood rushed from his head. He sank into the couch. Sandburg smiled knowingly at him. He scowled back, which made Sandburg smile more.

"Methos and Kronos are really gone?"

There was a pause as she listened.

"Gabriel called you?"

Who was Gabriel? Another immortal?

"No, you handle it. Bye."

There was a long pause and then she said goodbye.

"Turns out that Cassandra tried to fight Kronos, but was losing until Mac came and took over. They battled for awhile and then Methos sabotaged it."

"Sabotaged it, how?" Jim asked.

"Joe said that Methos set fire to the place. Now Mac and Cassandra are together and Methos and Kronos flew out of the states and are heading to Europe. The bad part is that Sandy is Cassandra's Watcher and he saw Adam Pierson, a Watcher, interfere in a fight. I don't know what he's going to do with that information."

"Who's Gabriel?" Jim asked gruffly.

"He was my teacher when I was at the Watcher Training School in Geneva. While I was there, he found out that Adam was Methos, because of Kronos. When Kronos confronted me, Gabriel saved my life by shooting Kronos and giving us a chance to escape. Kronos was, um, caressing me with his sword."

Jim got angry. "Caressing you?"

"He was taking the blade and running it all over my neck and chest. If I moved I was dead."

"Seems I owe Gabriel."

"Pardon?" she squeaked.

Shit! "If it hadn't been for him, I would have gone on for my entire life ignorant of immortals."

She looked skeptically, but didn't question him further.

"Why was Joe mentioning him?"

"Because Methos called Gabriel, asking him to take over the Watching of Mac and Cassandra in France. Gabriel called my father to let him know."

He didn't know what to say. She still had a puzzled expression, but he could wait until she figured out what was puzzling her.

"So Kronos is gone. I can go home."

His heart slammed against his chest. "No you can't. Adam said you had to stay here until it was over. It's not over, Kronos is still alive."

"But he just meant until Kronos was out of town."

"No he didn't. You gave your word that you would stay here, with me, until Kronos was dead and Pierson came back for you."

"Yeah, but..."

"No buts." He was adamant.

"So where am I going to sleep tonight? Remember, you don't have room for a semi-permanent house guest."

"You can have my bed."

"Absolutely not. I refuse. If I stay, I take the couch." She smiled triumphantly.

He then realized that he'd been had. She had no intention of leaving. She just wasn't going to sleep in his bed. He'd give in for now. For tonight.

"Okay you've got the couch."

Chapter Seven

She punched her pillow several times trying to get comfortable. It was no use. Her body wouldn't relax. The uncomfortable couch, combined with the three hours of sleep she got this afternoon, made sleep tonight impossible. Then there was the worry of what Methos was doing with Kronos. To compound all of that, there was Ellison, asleep up there, where she had slept this afternoon. The thought of her sleeping up there and him down here was ludicrous. He was way too big for this couch. The thought of them both sleeping up there tantalized her. Could she do it?

She turned onto her back. She put her hands behind her head and really thought about it. Would they each go to sleep on their own sides and wake up tangled together? Her breathing quickened. She'd be so embarrassed. Maybe he wouldn't even give the pretence of sleeping and ...would he take his own clothes off first, or hers? Maybe right now, he didn't have any clothes on. She groaned at the thought.

She turned to her side. These thoughts were counter-productive. He was probably up there sleeping like a baby, and thinking that he got the best end of the deal. Well, he was right. He did. She looked out the balcony doors and could see the moon. Did Ellison have a window up on his floor? She hadn't noticed. She flipped to her back again.

The stairs made a creaking noise. Her body stiffened and she listened intently. She could just make out the shadow of a man, as he came around and stood over her. It was Ellison. His hand grabbed her legs and picked them up. He sat down and put her legs on top of his lap. It was such an intimate thing to do. The dark hid their faces.

"Can't sleep Saunders?"

"I guess my nap was too long."

He was quiet. She could make out his profile, because he was looking out the window. What was he thinking?

"Did I keep you awake tossing and turning?"

"I was already awake, but yes, I heard you trying to get comfortable." He paused as if looking for something to say. "Will you tell me about what it was like growing up with all those immortals?"

"Corey Saunders, or Coreolus, was the immortal who married my mother. She was his Watcher, but she was new and didn't know how to follow covertly when she was throwing up every two feet. You see Joe got her pregnant during training and she didn't know until she was already in the States. Corey noticed her right away and basically overwhelmed her. Before she knew what hit her, they were married and living in Wyoming with Dickon, or Rikodius, which is his birth name,"

"Wait, isn't he the guy that Methos mentions in the story?"

"Yup, he's the same guy. He owned a horse-breeding farm there, so Corey brought his new wife to live with him. Methos delivered me, because Corey didn't trust anyone else with his new mortal wife."

"Did your mother love Corey?"

"I don't know. She loved Joe. Corey wanted her; wanted the baby, so he took her. What she really felt for him is all conjecture."

She could tell that he didn't like what she was saying about her father, about Corey.

"So I grew up with Dad and Dickon as fathers. Methos came occasionally until about 1985, then he came more regularly. I found out later that he had joined the Watchers so he could get information about Joe and pass it on to Mom. Also, I was growing up wild, so they sent me to live with Darius during the summers."

"Darius? Wasn't he the monk?"

"Yes. He was a priest who lived in Paris. The first summer I hated it. The second summer, it was fun. The third summer I fell in love with him."

Her voice became soft with emotion and memories. "Everyone loved Darius. It's the one thing that Mac and I have in common, outside of Joe. Mac loved Darius as much as I did. Of course I was only a teen-ager, but I was full of wedding plans."

"You really thought a priest would marry you?"

"He was immortal. He could be a priest again after I died."

"Was?"

"He died."

She sunk into her memories of Darius. Gradually she noticed that Ellison was stroking her leg, very softly. She didn't even know if he was aware that he was doing it. She reached into the painful memories and told him about Darius' murder by James Horton, and Horton's murder of her own parents, doing nothing to hide the hate that filled her. She told him about how Mac killed Horton and how she came to Seacouver with the express wish to kill Joe Dawson, the one who gave Horton the assignment to kill her parents. Then her voice grew soft as she told him of Richie and everything he did to make her believe that Joe was a good man and not a Hunter.

A velvet blanket of intimacy descended over them. Under the cover of darkness they shared personal memories. Ellison talked of his father and brother, and their life together as one of battles and confrontations. He never placed blame on any one thing, but she could hear the hurt and confusion in his voice. She compared his father to Corey, who believed that she needed to fight better than any mortal so that she might stand a chance against an immortal if she ever had to face one. Ellison told her of how competitive he was with his brother and Amy said she was jealous because she had always longed for a

brother or a sister.

On and on through the night they talked. He told her about his wife. And how she didn't understand him and about the subsequent divorce. Then he mentioned about being a Ranger and getting shot down in Peru. He kept caressing her leg, but his hand wasn't as soft as before. Each stroke was harder as his voice deepened with emotion. Amy listened closely realizing that he was now telling her something important.

"I was alone, everyone was dead. I had to survive. For eighteen months I was stranded in the jungle. A tribe of natives adopted me and, and..." he stumbled on his words.

The pressure on her legs increased. His one hand was rubbing up and down and the other had grabbed her ankle. She didn't move, afraid that she might break the spell.

"I became a Sentinel down there." He let out a gush of air. "I had a job to do and even though I was alone, I tried to do it. The Chopec were a group of natives that were being threatened by rebel forces and we were supposed to defend them. Alone, I aided them and that was when my new abilities came out. With their training I soon had control of my new gifts. I have to admit that if I could have gotten rid of them I would have. I had no control over my body anymore."

"Because you hadn't found your guide yet."

He took a deep breath. "After I was rescued, my senses returned to normal. I was so relieved. I quit the Rangers and began a job here at the Cascade PD. But I still had a hard time adjusting to the world again. My wife complained that I wouldn't tell her what was going on in my mind, and..."

"She complained? You had just gone through a harrowing experience. You had to deal with it as best as you could. She should have just stood by you and given you support, not be demanding."

"I don't know. She wanted to help, but I wouldn't let her."

"Was it because you didn't want to talk to anyone, or did she just grate on your nerves?"

"Both I think."

"So how did you get them back?"

"What makes you think I have them back?"

"Because of the way you said I became. You are still a Sentinel and Sandburg is your guide. The pieces are coming together. Like, why you let him come with us up into the mountains. I couldn't believe you let him get away with telling you what to do. Anyone with half a brain knows that you can't be made to do anything. But Sandburg said he wasn't going to let you do this alone, and you gave in. And then, why you have an anthropology student as a police partner. That has never made sense. You, who won't accept a real partner, allows a kid to tag along. That is not in character. Then the biggie, why Methos took such an interest in Sandburg. Now everything makes sense."

He was stroking her leg softly again. The storm had passed and he was calm again. She relaxed into the couch, enjoying his touch.

"It's just so obvious how close you and Sandburg are. I should have guessed as soon as I started reading the books. Why else would Methos give us those particular books to read. Why he wanted me to read them cover to cover. And mostly why he wants me to stay here while he's off trying to defeat Kronos. He's right, no one can protect me like you can. There is no place safer than with you."

"Why wouldn't you be safe with this Dickon you keep mentioning?"

"You see immortals can sense each other. There is this buzz that they feel when another of their kind approaches. So if Kronos were coming for me and I was with Dickon, he could find us right away. If we separated, then I'd be vulnerable. Yet with you, you can hear him coming and we could get away and he'd never know how close he was. It's like a one sided buzz. It gives us an incredible advantage."

As she talked he kept up with his caressing. Then her mind went blank. A knot started forming in her stomach. A warmth, spread over her, and her heart began to pound.

Suddenly he picked up her legs and stood up. "I better let you sleep. It's past three in the morning."

He stood over her and looked steadily into her eyes. His were in shadow so she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then he bent down and gave her a gentle kiss. "Good night Amy."

And he walked away. She put her hand up to her lips. It had been too fast. She wanted to call him back and tell him to do it better, longer, anything to bring him back. They had talked for over four hours. Under the cover of darkness she had let him see her soul, and he had let her glimpse his. Hugging the knowledge deep inside, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning she woke up to the chatter of voices in the kitchen. The smell of coffee permeated the room. Memories of the previous night's conversation hit her, which caused a smile to spread on her face. He confided a lot about his life to her. She was brimming over with emotions and she didn't know how to hide them. Never before had she felt things like this. When she fell in love with Darius, it was because of his goodness, his mind, all these things, but it had nothing to do with the man. She was too young to understand the man beneath the image. With Richie, it was a carefree kind of love. She knew he would always be her friend, whether they shared a bed or not. They stopped when both realized that it wasn't necessary to their relationship.

Then she remembered that Ellison was a Sentinel, just like Rezi. But not like Rezi. Ellison was strong, a real warrior. Sandburg for all his youthful exuberance wasn't weak either. Despite his inexperience on a horse, he still made it up and back without mishap. He deserved a lot of credit for that. She heard footsteps and saw Ellison bring her over a cup of the coffee.

"Good morning."

She saw that he was safe, back within the cocoon of indifference. But that was okay.

She smiled. "Good morning. Did you tell Sandburg that I now know?"

"Yes."

She flung the covers off and noticed his eyes on her legs. Was he thinking about the way he caressed them last night? She took the offered cup and raised it to her mouth. After taking a sip, she stood up and walked over to the table. Sandburg was already seated.

She smiled at him and sat down. He immediately stared questioning her about Methos and Sentinels and she had to ask him to slow down. Her mind didn't work very well on only four hours of sleep. After breakfast they asked her to read some more. She showered first and then joined them in the living room. Again, her bed was gone. Getting comfortable. She opened the book and started to read.

This time Sandburg's interruptions were even worse. Now that she knew about them, he was able to question everything she read and compare it to him, to the bond he shared with his Sentinel. Ellison didn't contribute, he just sat back and watched.

"But Amy," Sandburg argued. "Do you really think the ritual suicide was necessary? I mean I don't think Jim would go mad if I wasn't around."

Amy wanted to laugh at his innocence.

"Back then, the gift of heightened senses came from the Gods. They didn't understand about physiology like we do. All a sentinel knew was that he could do things no one else could and possibly lose themselves as a result. I would imagine anything that intense is scary and they needed someone very close to their soul, that they trusted implicitly, to help them."

She looked at Ellison.

"I don't know if I would go mad. I know at first I was floundering, and maybe if you hadn't shown up I *would* have gone crazy. I don't think I could function as a cop, without you. That's why Simon has let you become my partner in the first place."

"Does he know about you being a sentinel?"

"Yes."

"So even he can see and understand your bond. Bonds between men were very strong back then. It's kind of too bad, that it's not like that now. Dickon told me that in the olden days, women were nothing. They were possessions, like horses or a good pair of boots. A man did not rely on a woman to watch his back. Men and women were not partners. Women were servants. So when men wanted someone to talk to, to share dreams with, to talk over politics with, he spoke to other men. Women didn't understand that kind of stuff."

"Why not?"

"They hadn't been brought up that way. As they did the chores and they heard men speak, they would let it pass through them. Men needed, as they do now, to bond, really bond to someone. Dickon bonded with Corey. They were together for two thousand years, until Horton killed Corey. Methos bonded that way with Rezi. Because they were Sentinel and guide, it became more intense. Rezi needed Methos desperately. He was too weak to function on his own. I'm not sure I believe the one guide for one Sentinel theory, although I suppose it's possible. But I do believe that a very strong bond is needed. A bond of nylon, not of string. We go through our lives making lots of bonds. Most are of string, but some are of something much stronger, more durable, and they are the kinds that last."

"Like Jim and me."

"Right. Even Richie and Mac have a nylon bond."

"Richie and Mac?"

"Yes, they're teacher and student. Mac is a powerful immortal. He has made it his life's work to learn everything he can. He has traveled the world looking for teachers. For instance he studied samurai sword techniques from a master in Japan. He studied martial arts from May-Ling Shen in the 1780's. He was with a Dali Lama learning spiritual enlightenment a hundred years ago. That's what I mean about making it his life's work to learn. Now he has Richie. Richie was a street-wise punk who broke into Mac's antique store to rip him off. Instead of pressing charges, Mac and Tessa took him into their home and made him a part of their family. When Richie died his first death, Mac began teaching him all about what it means to be immortal. The game, the Prize..."

"What game?"

"All immortals have to fight each other to the death. That's why they carry swords. The only way to really kill an immortal is to cut off their heads. Then the loser's Quickening goes to the victor. They battle each other until there is only one left. He or she gets the prize."

"There are girl immortals too?"

"Yes Sandburg, there are women immortals too. Cassandra is one. Mac's girlfriend Amanda is another."

"I thought he had Tessa."

"She died when Richie had his first death."

This sobered them some.

She went back to reading the journal. She must have read for about fifteen minutes before it dawned on her exactly what it was she was describing. The magic spring that Methos had taken Mac to after the dark quickening. Her hands shook in her excitement.

"I had been with the tribe now for ten years. Mira had now officially taken another husband. She was happy in this new arrangement, and I thought that this would ease my sentinel's mind. But it did not. He was still troubled, both by bad dreams and times where he would be lost within. I talked with the elders and they suggested a pilgrimage to the well of cleansing waters. Maybe his soul needed purification. With three others we walked two weeks westward, towards Paris. How I longed to go all the way there and see Darius, but knew that it wouldn't be possible.

"The shrine was a large monument with stone pillars like the ones I had seen in Greece, a thousand years ago. Guards were set up, and several priests of an unknown religion were hovering nearby. Bitak conversed with a man at the door, who then told us to come back the next day after our mid day meal. We could have the waters then.

"Rezi was quiet, although I don't believe he was afraid of what would happen. Later that night I asked him more of what we would experience the next day. He said that when he first became a sentinel, he had to come here to cleanse his soul of evil. It was a ritual that all holy men had to partake. One had to enter the water and then all the evil was pulled out of the body and thrust into the netherworld. Rezi admitted that he hadn't seen or felt anything happen, put the priests assured him that all evil had been eliminated. Armed with that knowledge, he went back to his village, and his position as its Sentinel and guard.

"The elders had decided that the reason Rezi was discontented was because evil had taken hold of him and that it had to be driven out. They had also said that I would have to experience the waters also. The thought made me very nervous. I knew just how much evil resided in my soul and became afraid that the waters would take away everything that was me. Was there any goodness left in my three thousand year old body? I didn't think so.

"The next day, only Rezi was allowed in the shrine. I waited outside for him, very impatient to see if the experience changed him. There was an anxiousness about me that communicated itself to those also waiting. They all misinterpreted it to mean that I was afraid for his welfare, when in reality I was afraid for myself. What if Rezi now was able to recognize the evil within me? Would I be made to sample the waters too? The thought began to terrify me. When Rezi returned, he looked and sounded the same. Then he made me go in, alone.

"I descended the many steep stairs. At the bottom, a large room held a few tables, no chairs, and a small well of water. I have never understood or trusted magic, and a magic well, designed to rid the body of ill humors, was the most fearsome of all. I would surely die. I slowly went to the edge. I was alone with my demons, and all the evil that was such an intregal part of me. The water in that shallow pool was still. It beckoned me in, but my body would not move. The pull on my senses was almost overwhelming, but my fear of death was more so. Evil was not something that could be discarded by a bath. It had to be worn away through good deeds and compassion. My decision was made. I went up the stairs to the blinding sunlight. To my surprise, I had been in there all night. Not once did I ever mention that the holy water never touched my body. Whether the sanctity touched my soul or not, I cannot say. I did not feel different from before. If anything can turn me into a good man from an evil one, it would be the purity of my sentinel's soul."

Amy looked up at the two men. Even Sandburg was motionless. She felt a shiver go down her back.

"I don't think I want to read anymore." She set the book down.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Later that afternoon they had a visitor. Joe came to give them an update. He sat down and asked to have Ellison retrieve two guitars from his truck.

"Knew you'd be going crazy without both your horse and your guitar."

Ellison gave her a look and went down to get them. She knew he didn't want to miss anything. So as soon as he came back, she started grilling her father.

"Okay, tell me everything that's happened so far."

"I told you that Adam and Kronos have gone to Europe, but what I didn't tell you was that Methos is systematically reuniting all four of the horsemen."

Her eyes widened.

"They first went to get Silas, and then to Romania to break Caspian out of an insane asylum. Now we think they are going to France."

"Has Gabriel been keeping you informed?"

"Yes, although Mac has called twice. He told me that Adam left a pack of matches for him to find in Caspian's cell."

Amy gave a satisfied smile.

"But that's all I know. So have you heard from Dickon?"

"Nothing. I called him once, but he didn't even know it was going on. He said he knew it was bound to happen, but not that it had started."

"Is he stretching the truth?"

"I don't think so," Amy answered.

"So why was Adam in Cascade?" Joe asked her.

"He didn't tell me. Do you have an idea?" Amy was wondering if Methos had told anyone about Sentinels.

"Gabriel had one."

"Really, what?"

"He told me that after we all left France, he stayed with Adam and they were doing some research. Adam was very upset over you having been accosted by Kronos, and he said time was running out."

"Time was running out? For what?"

"Finding the Sentinel."

"What?" She carefully avoided looking at Ellison. "Exactly what did Gabriel say?"

"He said that Adam spent a lot of time hacking into every data base he could find trying to find a clue of where he could find this particular Sentinel. He had two false trips and came back very discouraged. That's when he said time was running out. Kronos was going to get you if he couldn't find the Sentinel. Then one day he disappeared. Gabriel had no idea where he went. That was about six months ago. Gabriel said that a bunch of chronicles disappeared with him. He was under the impression that Adam found the Sentinel."

"Do you know what a Sentinel is?" she asked with feigned amazement.

"No idea."

"There's no record anywhere, in any of the chronicles about Sentinels?"

"I have never heard the word before. I think it must be some kind of shaman or religious teacher, or something. I think Adam needed a way to stop Kronos and this Sentinel was somehow going to help him."

Amy sat back. Her Dad was telling the truth. That was all he knew. But Methos was searching all this time for a particular Sentinel, for Ellison. Why? The wheels were turning but nothing was computing. She really wished she could tell her father about Ellison, but it wasn't her secret to tell. She had kept Methos' identity a secret a long time before he agreed to let her father and Mac in on it. Richie only just recently found out. He was very cautious and Amy believed that Ellison was just as tight with his secret as Methos.

Joe must have realized that the conversation wasn't going to continue so he picked up his guitar case and took his instrument out. He started tuning it.

"Make an old man happy?" he asked with a hopeful look.

With an apologetic glance at the other two men, she took out her guitar and joined her father. They jammed for awhile, and Amy lost herself within the music. Why was Methos purposely searching for a Sentinel? How did he know that there was one around to even find? She looked over at Ellison and found he was staring at her. She smiled at him and wonder of wonders, he smiled back. It was a soft smile, full of unspoken emotion.

She followed her father's lead, and played songs that he had written or just loved. He played the love song he wrote for her mother and tears gathered in her eyes. How she wished her mother was here, right now. Would she have liked Ellison? Liked Jim. The named felt funny. Every time she thought of the name Jim, Horton came to mind. The one person she hated above all others. Last night, he called her Amy. Could she get used to calling him Jim?

Joe broke in on her thoughts.

"Thanks for humoring an old man."

"Old man? You're less than a hundred. Now Methos is the old man. Even Dickon can qualify for that title. But you? Hardly."

She saw Ellison stiffen. He nonchalantly got off his chair and headed for the door. Amy kept talking to her father, hoping to distract him from Ellison's movements. But Joe was a trained observer, and couldn't be fooled.

"What's up?" Joe asked.

A knock sounded at the door, so Ellison opened it.

"I'm Richie Ryan. I'm looking for Amy..."

She set the guitar down and ran to the door. Shoving Ellison aside she opened it further.

"Richie!" she squealed and she flung her arms around him.

"What a welcome. Maybe I should go away more often." He hugged her and then stood back.

"I stopped at Joe's and Mike said he was here."

"Hi Rich. Amy and I, we were just jamming."

Richie strode past Amy and walked directly towards Joe. "So what's going on with Mac. Mike won't tell me. I tried Dickon and even he wouldn't say."

"Did you actually talk to Dickon?"

"I called this morning. I think I woke him up, because he didn't sound like himself. We talked for awhile and all he'd tell me was that Mac was with," and he gave the other two men a side look. "Adam."

Amy reassured him. "It's okay. They know about immortals and Watchers and Methos."

"Then why am I the last to know?"

"I'm sorry Richie. But Methos' identity was his own to divulge. For some reason he didn't want to tell you at first."

"When he took Kristin's head, he could have told me then. But no, he had to wait until I bought into the fake Methos."

"I am so sorry."

"So does Mac still have his head?" Richie redirected the conversation back to his teacher's dilemma.

"As far as we know Rich, there hasn't been any battles." Joe answered.

Richie sunk into the couch.

"So what in the hell is going on? I mean Mac disappearing and leaving me this note to come back and take care of the dojo for him? Jeez, what am I supposed to think."

"A little of Methos' past came out and Mac isn't handling it very well." She looked over at Joe. "Neither is he for that matter."

Amy looked over at Ellison. He was still standing by the door and he didn't look very happy.

"Ahh Richie, let me introduce you to my friends. This is James Ellison and Blair Sandburg. They're cops that I work with."

"You're staying with co-workers? That doesn't sound too smart."

"They're the best body guards around."

"Dickon knows you're here?"

"Yep."

"Can I talk to you privately?"

She looked over at Ellison. She didn't think it would really be private, but...

"Sure Richie. Let's go into the kitchen."

Ellison sat on the couch and leaned back. With a pointed look at Amy, he closed his eyes. He was telling her in everything but words that he intended to listen in. Well, hell. She supposed she could tell him no, but she had no secrets.

"Okay Rich, what's up?"

"I want the real reason you're here. I don't believe the excuse that they are the best bodyguards around, and I don't think Joe does either. I think you would be safer with an immortal around who could sense if Kronos comes calling. Why don't we just leave, hop on my bike and just drive? We could head anywhere."

"I thought Mac asked you to take care of the dojo?"

"I'll get someone else. Please?"

"No."

"I can't believe Dickon is letting you stay in this situation. You belong with him or me."

"I'm not leaving here."

"No matter what I say?"

"Nothing will induce me to leave yet."

A strange look came over his face. "So it's like that."

His words caused a twist in her gut. "Like what?"

"I wondered why he was so unfriendly when he opened the door."

"He didn't know you. Remember, he's guarding me."

"But his look got meaner after you wrapped your arms around my neck. He doesn't like me. Could he be jealous?"

"You are being ridiculous."

A cold sweat was forming all over her. She knew he was listening. Yet she couldn't tell Richie to shut up, he thought they were talking in privacy.

"Have you slept with him?"

"That is none of your business," she exploded.

"Well maybe you should. It might calm you down some. You know, get rid of that nervous tension you're carrying around. Tonight just climb into his bed. Wait, where did you sleep last night?"

"On the couch. This is none of your business," she reiterated.

"And tonight?"

"Richie!" she squealed.

"Just climb in his bed. I bet anything he won't tell you to leave. Look at you, you're blushing." He was really enjoying her embarrassment. She was going to kill him the next time they were alone.

"If you're going to harp on this, I'm going to go back into the living room."

She moved so she could see into the living room. Ellison was still lying there with his eyes closed, but he had quite a grin on his face. Embarrassment warred with fury and she stormed out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. She was mortified. Ellison was listening to Richie telling her to seduce him. Splashing cold water on her face, took away some of the heat, but did nothing for her inner turmoil. So why was this different? Why had the decision to sleep with Richie been so easy at the time, yet with Ellison so damned difficult? Was she afraid? Afraid of what? Bonds. She was afraid of becoming connected to him. Her bond with Richie was light, happy, that of close friendship. With Ellison it would be a lot more intense. He was more intense. He was older, had been through more, but he wasn't four hundred or two thousand. He was mortal. She knew he was capable of strong bonds. Look at Sandburg. Those two were as tight as men could be. It was a bond of reliance, survival but had evolved into friendship. Just like Dickon and Corey.

This wasn't getting her anywhere. She wasn't going to think of this anymore. She flushed the toilet, and washed her hands. With her hand on the doorknob, she realized that she was still nervous about going into the living room. She walked down the hall and saw that everyone was gone, except Sandburg. He had her guitar in his lap, and he was lightly strumming it.

"Jim walked Richie and Joe out to their cars. I don't know what you and Richie talked about, but Jim listened to every word and it sure did make him happy. Couldn't believe it when that sour face of his started beaming. What did you guys talk about?"

"It was nothing."

"Yeah, nothing," he said with disbelief.

"I'm going to my room. I think you and Jim need to talk."

"No, please stay?"

Sandburg smiled. "No way am I getting involved in this."

He sat her guitar down in its case and went into his room. There was no place she could hide. How was she going to face him? Her face got all red again. The door opened and Ellison walked in. Too late.

He looked at her and she tried to swallow. It got stuck in her throat.

"I think Richie and I understand each other now. He's not a bad kid. How old is he?"

"Twenty two. He's a very young immortal."

"Mac is his teacher, and Joe is Mac's Watcher. Right?"

She nodded.

"I like your Dad. I think we'll get along fine. Although Richie says I'm going to have trouble with Dickon?"

That surprised her. "Why?"

"Because I had problems with him and he's just your friend. Now Dickon thinks he owns you. He makes all your decisions, pays all your bills, and you don't jump unless he says okay."

That pissed her off. "It's not true."

"Which part? Does he pay your bills?"

"Corey left me all his money, which let me tell you is an awful lot. I have no interest in deciding which stocks to buy or sell. I really don't care if my mutual funds have matured or not. So Dickon takes care of all those hassles. All the money belongs to me, and any kids I might have in the future. However, if I die without issue, without blood issue, all the money goes to Dickon."

They were going along nicely. He had steered her mind away from their mutual attraction. She had forgotten her shyness and the need to hide from him. Then he suddenly introduced it again.

"Are you going to crawl in my bed tonight?"

Her eyes flew up to his.

He continued. "If you don't, I'm going to carry you up the stairs and dump you in it."

"No," she was aghast.

"However, whether I stay in it, will be entirely up to you. He looked steadily at her, not saying another thing. She squirmed in her seat, and couldn't maintain his stare.

"I'm going to start on dinner now." Then he went into the kitchen.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The evening flew by rapidly. She read some more from the journal. Sandburg still interrupted her every few lines, which slowed the story down. Ellison kept yawning, trying to be subtle about wanting to go to bed. All she could think about was how horses yawned to show superiority over the others. She wanted to tell him that, but refrained, because she didn't want to bring up the subject of bed at all. So she kept reading and Sandburg was too excited to see any of Ellison's hints.

Finally Ellison had reached the end of his patience. "Sandburg, go to bed."

She was so embarrassed. Sandburg gave Ellison a knowing smile and then left. He said a very quick good night to her.

Then just as he got to his bedroom door, he turned around and said, "Have a nice night."

She blushed, but he didn't see it, because he closed his door, loudly.

"Are you going to walk up those stairs willingly, or do I have to carry you?"

"I can walk."

She got up and started up the stairs.

"Your bag is already up there. I moved it this morning."

"I have to go to the bathroom," it came out in a rush.

"Shouldn't you take your pajama's with you?"

"Right."

She opened her case up and took out her shorts and a T-shirt. She ran back down the stairs to the bathroom. When she came out, Ellison was wearing only a pair of boxers and sitting on the bed.

She looked at him in the eyes.

"I don't know why you're so nervous?" he said.

"Nylon. I'm afraid of nylon."

He nodded. "Me too Saunders. Now get in. Maybe tonight we'll be able to sleep."

She got in and he covered her over. He walked over to the lights and turned them all off. Then he got in on the opposite side.

She felt the bed shift with his weight and she scurried over so she was at the edge of her side. She didn't want to touch him by accident. He lay on his back, with his arms against his side. She curled up in a ball facing the other way. She closed her eyes, but she could hear him breathing. God if she could hear him, hers must be deafening.

"Ellison?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you turn off your senses? I mean, what if you don't want to hear me breathing, or Sandburg's heartbeat?"

"I concentrate on something else. But I like to hear Sandburg's heartbeat. It sooths me. I know he's safe and when it's regular it has a very calming influence over me. But your breathing? I don't know how to stop listening to that. It tells me almost what you're thinking. There is a definite difference between nervousness from fear and nervousness from embarrassment. And when you're mad, which has happened quite a bit, there is almost an echo, I can't explain it, but it's there. You are very intense and every emotion comes out as you breathe."

"God. Can you do that for everyone?"

"I can for those I know well."

"But you don't know me well at all."

"I don't know. This argues that I do. I know your scent, the sound of your heart, and the feel of your tears."

She remembered how he touched her tears and ran them between his fingers.

Then she felt those fingers in her hair. There was a slight tug and she could hear the strands as they moved across his hand.

"It's so soft," he whispered.

"Baby shampoo." Her voice cracked.

He shifted, but the movement in her hair stayed constant.

"You're breathing faster."

"So are you."

"Yes."

Should she turn around? If she did, he'd kiss her, and if he did that... Her gut filled with tension, with indecision, with longing. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the feelings he was invoking from swamping her. Slowly she turned her face and he was there in an instant. His hand was buried in her hair, squished against the pillow.

He was leaning on his side as his head lowered to hers. She clung to him, drowning in sensation.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

When they caught their breath again, she was entwined around him. He lay on his back and she had her head on his chest.

"Your heart is still beating very fast."

"It may take me all week to recover."

She made swirling motions with her fingers on his stomach. Where had the nervousness gone? He was so beautiful.

"Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still afraid of nylon?"

"Not at this moment."

"I feel it."

She picked up her head to look at him, not understanding.

"What?"

"The nylon bond. It's not string anymore."

Chapter Eight

Jim decided that since the immortals were supposedly in Europe, it was probably safe for them to go grocery shopping. They hadn't planned on Amy's presence, so there just wasn't enough food in the house. The other two were ecstatic about getting out of the apartment. Blair was a bit quiet on the trip, but in the store, Amy's good natured teasing opened him up. At times he felt like a parent, watching two mischievous youngsters try and out do the other. Then Amy would send him a certain look that would dry his throat and make his heart pound. Then she'd change into the little girl again.

When they returned to the loft, he thought he saw a movement in one of his windows. He told the others to be quiet, and took out his gun. They took the stairs and Jim, in the lead, made for his door. It was not only unlocked, but ajar. He sniffed the air.

"There's a woman in there," he whispered.

"An ex-girlfriend perhaps?" Amy asked with a teasing glint in her eyes.

He wouldn't dignify that with an answer.

Using his foot, he nudged the door open. His jaw dropped. Perched on the couch was the most provocatively dressed woman, he had ever seen. She had a black skirt on which barely covered the essentials. A half shirt, which was riding up, giving a hint of curved flesh underneath. Her position on the couch spoke an invitation to any male who saw her.

Amy leaned up to his ear. "She's had a thousand years to perfect that look, don't feel bad."

An immortal. Definitely not Cassandra, she was in Europe. This must be Mac's girlfriend, what was her name?

"Are you boys going to stay out there all day?"

Amy picked up the groceries and slid past him. He could see her fighting a grin. The little minx was enjoying his discomfort.

"Amy? Do you need to wind them up before they'll move?"

Summoning all his will, he moved into the loft. Sandburg followed close behind.

"Amanda, let me introduce you to my friends. The one with the gun is James Ellison. The other one is Blair Sandburg."

She walked over to Jim. "You won't need that," and she rubbed her hand down his arm to the gun. "I promise to go quietly."

He jerked his arm away from her. No one touched his gun. Amanda, her name was Amanda. He wouldn't forget that in a hurry.

"So you're MacLeod's girlfriend?"

As soon as he said the name, she transformed herself from the feme-fatale to a woman with a mission. She walked from where he stood over to Amy, who was just finishing putting the food away. He hadn't even noticed her bringing in the rest of the bags from the hall.

"Amy. Tell me everything," she commanded.

"What do you know?"

"I know that the witch has Duncan by the balls."

"You're jealous."

"Of course I am. His balls, and everything else, belong to me."

"I thought you left with that Cory Raines guy?"

"I didn't stay with him long. I wanted to make MacLeod jealous and it didn't work. He just let me go like he always does."

"I'm sorry Amanda. Have you been to see Joe?"

"No I came here first."

"How did you know to come here?"

"Methos called me in Paris. He told me what was going on and asked me to stop here and make sure you were still here with them." She pointed to Jim. "He also said to flirt with Jimmy boy and make you jealous."

Jimmy Boy!

"But I can see it's not needed."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy didn't look so amused anymore.

"Methos said that you might need a little push, but I can see Jimmy has things well in hand." There was a slight purr in her words.

"Also, I'm supposed to spar with you. He said you were out of shape and needed a challenge. You've been playing with mortals for too long, and you've gotten soft. You need someone you can break an arm or ribs with."

"As long as you don't break hers," Jim was quick to say.

"She's suffered worse."

What kind of upbringing did she have? This bordered on child abuse. He was starting to get mad.

"Jimmy, why don't we move your furniture, so we can have room to maneuver?"

"Listen, it's James, or Ellison or even Jim, but not Jimmy."

Amanda ignored him.

He tossed a look to Sandburg, who was still adjusting to Amanda. "Going to help me Chief?"

"Sure Jim."

After the furniture was out of the way, she turned to him. "Come on Jimmy," she taunted.

Fueled by anger, he came after her. She neatly dumped him on the floor. How did such a little woman move so efficiently?

"I've had a lot more training than you big boy, and you're going to have to do better than that to even beat Amy. She's out of practice and soft, but she can still clean the floor with you."

He'd be better prepared this time, and he tried to use his Sentinel abilities to gain the upper hand. They circled each other, getting the occasional jabs and kicks, but he wasn't able to defeat her. She never left an opening. Suddenly Amanda did a flip and locked Ellison's hand behind his back and twisted it.

"If you had been immortal, I would have broken it by now."

Ellison couldn't move. He gritted his teeth, feeling the pain and humiliation that he could be bested so easily.

"Lesson number one, Jimmy. Don't let anger fuel your fight. Two, I've had a lot more practice than you at this kind of thing. I was fighting men double my size during the War of the Roses."

And that was supposed to make him feel better?

Amy walked over to him. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss full on the lips.

Now that made him feel better.

"Move, it's my turn." She smiled wickedly, "Jimmy."

He had to stifle his laugh. Both women knew how to push his buttons. He gave in gracefully and moved to the side, next to Sandburg.

"Okay Saunders. Let's see how soft you've gotten."

The two women circled and Amy appeared to be waiting for Amanda to make her move. Soon Amanda obliged. She twisted sideways and sent her foot out, but it connected to air. Amy moved and landed a hit across her back.

"Nice footwork, " Amanda complimented.

Again they circled and Amy faked a move, which Amanda didn't buy, but which she used to throw Amy off balance. No hits were exchanged, but Amy had to back up and get her feet totally under her again. Around and around they circled, neither gaining the advantage, and neither winning. She glanced over at Ellison and Amanda used that to send her to the ground.

"Never lose eye contact with your opponent."

She reached down and helped Amy to her feet.

Jim was impressed. Amy really was good. She used moves he had never seen before, and Amanda was testing her to her limits. While Amy was breathing heavily, Amanda heart rate hadn't increased at all. Then, like a coiled spring, Amy bent and kicked and her foot landed to the side of Amanda's head and she went down. Amy was grinning from ear to ear.

"Dickon taught me that. He said to use it on Mac, when I was feeling depressed or something. He said it would wake up the Highlander for sure."

Amanda sat up. "Well it put me to sleep."

Amy was still grinning and soon Amanda was too.

He never would have dared to try such a lethal move. He didn't understand their kind of sparring. Amy must have recognized his discomfort.

"You see Ellison, I couldn't stop sparring until I had knocked Dickon down. I didn't have to kill him, although he preferred that I did. Mostly I just had to get the upper hand."

"Has Mac been giving you lessons?" Amanda asked.

"He did for awhile. But his sanctimonious preaching got on my nerves. It just wasn't worth it. When I moved down here to Cascade, it gave me the perfect excuse to end the lessons."

"Was he mad?"

"He's always mad at me. I didn't notice anything different, if that's what you're asking."

Just then he heard a move in the hall. Listening carefully, he could make out the slow lumbering walk of a man with a cane. It must be Joe. Maybe he had more news. A knock came to the door.

He went over to answer it.

"What happened to all your furniture?"

"Amanda happened to it."

A big smile spread across Joe's face. Amanda walked over to him, also with a soft caring smile on her face.

"Joe. Happy to see you."

"So where's that two bit hustler you left town with?"

"You mean Cory Raines?"

He nodded.

"I wanted to make Duncan jealous. All I did was drive him into the witch's bed."

"Don't worry, he'll be back. So why are you here?"

"Just because I left with another guy, doesn't mean I don't care if this Kronos takes his head or not. Any news?"

Joe sat down on the couch, which was against the wall. The others crowded around him.

"Let's see. Gabriel said that Mac and Methos connected on holy ground. Methos told him that Kronos has bred a virus that can wipe out all of humanity. One vial is attached to a bomb at a park and Mac had to go diffuse it. Gabriel followed Mac and saw him do just that. When they go back to the hotel, Cassandra was gone. Kronos had taken her."

Amy gasped.

Amanda smiled. "Hope he takes her head."

Joe continued. "That's all we know for now. Methos told Gabriel to follow Mac, so that's why he wasn't around when Kronos nabbed Cassandra."

"I knew Methos was on my side," Amanda added.

"Wonder why he told Gabriel to stay with Mac?"

Joe shook his head. "Methos is a devious son of a bitch. He could have had several reasons for just that one order."

"So now we know that Kronos has Cassandra and is using her for...for what?" Amy asked rhetorically.

"To make Duncan come rescue the witch," was Amanda's guess.

"So you think Kronos wants Mac to come to their lair?" Amy asked amazed.

"It's the most likely reason." Joe admitted.

Jim had to add, "Or maybe he's trying to discredit Methos in Mac's eyes." Then he wished he hadn't said anything. Amy stiffened and tears filled her eyes. Damn, he was thinking like a cop. Amy needed reassurance, not painful conjecture. He wanted to comfort her, but didn't know how. Amanda went over to her and put her own arm around

Amy.

"You know Methos well. He must have planned for just this contingency. He always has plans within plans. And Mac is smart. Duncan won't be fooled by Kronos' little tricks."

Jim was tired of the furniture against the walls. It reminded him of when Naomi decided to redecorate. That thought gave him chills. He didn't want to spar with Amanda anymore and he definitely didn't want Amy to either. So he made everyone help push it back. Then Joe suggested bringing out the guitars. Sandburg went to get his own and the rest of the afternoon they listened to music.

Sitting back, he let the music wash over him. Amy really was good. In this respect he could see the similarities between father and daughter. From what she said, they had traveled a rocky road. He couldn't imagine hating someone enough to kill them in cold blood and know that the person was your natural father. It must have been hell for her.

Sandburg was having quite a time of it. He and Amy played some current tunes. Each trying to out do the other in picking esoteric songs. They actually sounded nice together, and he could see himself ten years from now, still sitting back listening to them play while he was doing paper work or something. Thinking of a future with her was frightening, but thinking of one without her, scared him shitless.

The five of them went out for dinner. With Amanda's sexy persona totally missing, Sandburg opened up and started grilling her for information. He wanted to know everything. She laughingly told him about her numerous lovers, and to tease Jim, she told them how she spent centuries making a living as a thief.

As he sat there and listened to what she was saying, he slowly realized that he didn't like her either. So far the only immortal he liked was Richie, and ironically, he was the only one to have had an intimate relationship with Amy. He was beginning to dread meeting Dickon. This immortal was the one who meant the most to Amy. She might cry and worry about Methos. But there was a bond between her and Dickon that was as strong if not stronger than the one they had forged together. If she had to choose between them, he would lose. He just hoped that Dickon wouldn't inflict that upon her. There had been only one reference to Rikodius in Methos' journals, and that hadn't been too nasty, he reassured himself.

After dinner, Joe borrowed Sandburg's computer and logged on to check his mail. He had received one from Gabriel.

"Let's see. Mac was challenged by both Caspian and Silas simultaneously. Mac ran to a bridge, where Caspian and him engaged and Mac won. As he took the Quickening, he jumped off of the bridge. Silas screamed and ran all over looking for him to wash up. Gabriel went back to the hotel, hoping that Mac might contact him. That's it."

"I can't believe that Kronos sent both of them out after Mac. That breaks the rules. All battles should be one on one." Joe shook his head.

Amanda was very quiet.

"I better get moving. It's a long drive back."

"I'll follow you," Amanda told him. She patted him on the back. "You

know, just for protection."

"I don't need you to protect me," he sounded offended.

"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about myself."

They all laughed at her mock seriousness.

After the two had gone, Amy lay down on the couch with her head in Jim's lap. He had his hand in her hair, massaging her scalp, feeling her hair as it slid across his fingers. She talked more of the interpersonal relationships between Mac and Joe, and then Mac and Richie. The lull between sentences became longer, and finally she drifted off to sleep.

Sandburg had been quiet.

"What's the matter Chief?"

"I'm just surprised at how close you two have gotten. It didn't take very long."

"Not as surprised as me."

"Do you have any plans for when this is over?"

"Nope. I'm taking it one day at a time."

The two men were quiet, but Jim could see that his guide was not relaxed.

"Something is bothering you."

"I feel like you don't need me anymore. She can be a real partner to you in everything." He was quiet a minute. "And no one will question her suitability as an police officer."

"I didn't know that you felt inadequate as my partner."

"Face it Jim, I'm not a police officer. You are always protecting me, not letting me get too close to active duty. Plus, she knows about sentinels, so she can be your guide."

Jim felt Amy stir. Oh boy, Sandburg was going to be upset that she heard about his insecurities.

She sat up and pinned Sandburg with her eyes. All traces of sleep were gone.

"Did I hear you right? Were you trying to find a way out of your destiny?"

He didn't answer.

"What have I been reading to you? What has Methos been trying to teach you? Are you dense?"

She stood up and sat down next to Sandburg, never once turning her attention from him.

"I have lived my entire life with men who are so close to each other that I swear that their souls are entwined. Today's mores have given that a dirty connotation, but I don't care. They belonged together. I see the way you two act and now recognize your bond for what it is. I understand about these bonds because of the way I've been brought up. I don't feel threatened by them; in fact they give me a feeling of security. I would never do anything to come between you and Ellison. Your bond is sacred. Even if I hadn't read Methos' chronicles, I would know this. He depends upon you for so many things. You don't see it, and I don't think that he even sees it, but I do. I think it's wonderful. It would kill me to see anything come between you two and I'd fight tooth and nail, to make sure nothing ever did. You know Sandburg, I'm very good at fighting dirty. It's a part of survival and I learned that from the best. If you ever try to leave Ellison, you'll feel the hounds of hell on your back, cause I know he will never let you go. I just wish you understood that."

"Dr. Pierson told me that very few women would understand the dependence between a sentinel and a guide."

"He's right and you should thank your lucky stars that you've have met such a one. Besides, I have no interest in being his guide. Maybe I'm supposed to watch your back while you tend to him."

Jim felt the warmth spread throughout his body. Maybe Amy was finally able to convince his guide just how needed he was. Heaven knew he wasn't very good with words, and he'd had difficulties letting Sandburg know how he felt. Amy might be the glue that held them together, forever.

Sandburg looked almost shyly at him.

Jim added to Amy's argument. "I couldn't have said it better. You know I can track better than anyone, so don't try to leave." Then he looked at Amy. "The hounds of hell?"

She shrugged. "I think you can be persistent when you want to be."

He gave her a look, which Sandburg must have interpreted as his cue to leave. With a mumbled good night, he left the room.

Jim held out his hand and Amy grasped it within her own.

Chapter Nine

Amy felt the bed shift as Ellison was sat up in bed, totally alert.

She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Someone is outside the door, carrying donuts, and pastries. I can smell them and hear the man's heartbeat. But, he's just standing there, not moving."

He got out of bed and threw on his pants and a shirt. He took his gun out and went down the stairs. Amy was positive that if someone wanted to hurt them, they wouldn't bring donuts and just stand outside the door. She looked at the clock and saw that it was only seven. She yawned and got up to put her own clothes on. As she was stepping into her pants, Ellison threw open the door.

"Who the hell are you?"

Recognizing the bellow, Amy squealed and hopped down the stairs. "Dickon!"

The man slid past Ellison and the gun as if it weren't there. He carefully set the boxes down and held his arms open for Amy to run into. She hugged him tight, and then he reluctantly let her go.

"Well, Little Bit, it's over. All of Methos' plans worked. Three horsemen are dead, and the Highlander, Cassandra and Methos have escaped with their heads."

He looked at Ellison. "I brought breakfast."

Sandburg came out of his room. His hair was a mess and his clothes were rumpled. Amy watched Dickon look at him, and saw his eyes soften.

"So you're the guide? Methos has talked non-stop about you."

He went over to shake his hand. Then he turned to Ellison.

"You have any coffee? I'm dying for some caffeine."

"Dickon this is James Ellison and that is Blair Sandburg."

"Yes, Little Bit, I figured that out."

"Then why are you so rude to Ellison."

"He's going to take you away from us. It doesn't exactly endear him to me."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"It's not where you are physically that's important. It's the bond. From here on out, your first loyalty will be to him. That will never change. I think it's called leaving the nest. I don't know, I've never had a child before."

Tears gathered in her eyes. "I love you, that will never change."

"It already has. You just haven't seen it yet. Give it time, the bond may be made of silk now, but soon it will harden to steel. And be as strong as the blade you carry."

Ellison went into the kitchen for coffee. As it was dripping, he grabbed a donut. Sandburg shuddered at the box and went in the fridge for something else.

"So Dickon, tell us everything."

"Methos called me last night to say that it was all over. He told me to come here and explain everything. He's not up to company now. He needs time to grieve. Little Bit," he turned to her sounding serious. "He had to kill Silas."

She nodded sympathetically.

"And Mac? Is their friendship over?"

"I don't know which way the Highlander will go. They're barely on speaking terms now. But with time, all may be forgiven or at least accepted. Methos intends to travel some then return to Paris and continue at Salzer's bookstore. That watcher friend of yours will continue to help him with his research.

"What, has Gabriel taken Don Salzer's place?"

"I think so. They work well together. Methos trusts him."

"Is Mac coming home?"

"You'll have to ask Dawson about that."

The four of them sat at the table and ate the pastries that Dickon had supplied. Amy excused herself to go shower and change into her jeans. When she came out, Dickon was reading from a chronicle. But, not the Sentinel ones, he was reading the one about her.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Reading Methos' journal. I've never been privileged enough to even see one. Do you think I can resist when I see my name in them? The guide brought it over. He said that you refused to even talk about what was in it. That made me curious."

Ellison smiled at her. "He's reading to us, how you got the name Little Bit."

She had heard the story a million times, so she decided to call Joe.

"Hi Joe."

"Hi."

"Dickon's here, he says it's all over. Have you heard from Gabriel?"

"Nothing. But I haven't logged on this morning yet. I just woke up."

"Yeah, us too. Dickon surprised us."

"So what happened?"

She briefly repeated what Dickon had told them.

"Are Mac and Methos friends?"

"I don't know. Somehow I doubt it."

"How is your other father?" There was a slight jealous note to his voice.

"He's fine. Taken with Sandburg, from what I can tell. Doesn't like Ellison."

"How can he not like someone who's so protective of you?"

"I have no idea," she lied.

"Since it's all over, why don't you all come up to the bar tonight and we can play?"

"I'd like that. I'll see if Sandburg and Ellison can make it too."

She disconnected and returned to the living room. Dickon was still reading.

"Dickon?" she began.

He looked up from his reading.

"Why was Methos looking so hard for a sentinel?"

The question burned in her gut.

"It was a prophecy given to us eight hundred years ago. We just never took it seriously until this fall."

"What was it?"

A pit was forming and she was afraid of the answer.

"The prophecy said, that a Sentinel would take away from Methos and myself, a woman we both loved. As time went on and sentinels became extinct, or so we thought, we forgot about it. It wasn't until Methos heard about Kronos accosting you in Switzerland that it came back to him. You are the first woman we have both loved. We freely admit it. Prophecies have a way of becoming fulfilled at some time or another. So Methos decided that if a Sentinel was out there and he could be used to keep you safe, that would enable him to confront his own demons and destroy them once and for all."

Amy sat back thinking.

"Little Bit. We will not interfere. What you do from here on out is your choice."

He went back to his reading. Amy looked up at Ellison. He was gazing at her steadily. There was no wavering, just constancy. It really wasn't up to her anymore. The bond was there, whether it was steel as Dickon said or nylon as she had described, its presence was tangible. She wouldn't, couldn't, deny it any longer.

"When I called Joe," she interrupted. "He asked us if we wanted to go to his club tonight. What do you think, Jim?"

Dickon smiled.

****

The End


End file.
